Coffee House Shots

PMQs today and – as predicted – Keir Starmer came out worst in a pretty unpleasant session. Kemi Badenoch pinned the Prime Minister on the continued Mandelson fallout and now the scandal over Matthew Doyle, the former No. 10 comms chief who – just four weeks after his ennoblement – Labour have already been forced to kick out of their party in the House of Lords, after it emerged he had campaigned for a friend charged with possessing indecent images of children. Once again, one of those mysterious appointments for which the Prime Minister is never responsible came back to haunt him in public – sound familiar?
The response from the Prime Minister was to get increasingly shirty, including with Sir Ed Davey, who accused the PM of a ‘catastrophic lack of judgment’ in his most punchy PMQs yet. Are we finally getting to understand the ‘real’ Keir Starmer?
James Heale speaks to Tim Shipman and Isabel Hardman.
Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
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After a dramatic day in Westminster, the threat to Starmer appears to have receded – at least in the short term. But with the Gorton and Denton by-election less than three weeks away, (more) trouble could be on the horizon. Luke Tryl – from pollsters More in Common – and James Heale join Patrick Gibbons to discuss.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
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Morgan McSweeney resigned yesterday as Keir Starmer’s chief of staff and – while it was not a surprise, given his role in appointing Peter Mandelson – the news that the Prime Minister has now lost his closest aide and political fire blanket is a huge shock. The repercussions are numerous: Starmer loses the man widely regarded to have won him his large majority and someone who was popular in No. 10; he has recruited two new deputies to fulfil a role considered insurmountable for one person; and it sets a precedent that anyone who allowed Mandelson to become US ambassador is liable for the chop.
For a Prime Minister without a political philosophy, McSweeney was the man with the plan – where does Labour go from here? Is this the end for Starmer – and who might replace him?
Tim Shipman and James Heale discuss.
Produced by Megan McElroy and Oscar Edmondson.

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Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.

Morgan McSweeney has resigned as Keir Starmer's chief of staff, just hours after Pat McFadden said he could see 'no point' in making such a change.
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Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.

Morgan McSweeney has resigned as Keir Starmer's chief of staff, just hours after Pat McFadden said he could see 'no point' in making such a change.
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.

Contact us: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.