Who’s in charge in Downing Street? Until recently, the answer to that question would tend to reveal whether you were a Sue Gray or Morgan McSweeney supporter. Keir Starmer’s two most senior aides were viewed to be in a power struggle over the direction of the government. As Chief of Staff, Gray was ultimately in charge of the day-to-day running of government, yet it was McSweeney who was meant to set the political direction. There were complaints that the operation was not sufficiently joined up and that it lacked a clear political direction. ‘There is no narrative,’ complains a party figure. ‘It’s all quite disjointed.’
As for what that focus will be, it’s worth taking a look at the politics of McSweeney
Gray’s departure – and McSweeney being appointed as her successor – means that there is now at least a clear chain of command. McSweeney, who was responsible for the party’s successful 2024 election campaign (and the Starmer project more widely), moves from heading up the political unit to the whole No. 10 building. To help him in his mission to improve Starmer’s standing and refocus the government on its aims are two deputy chiefs of staff (Vidhya Alakeson and Jill Cuthbertson). Both women are seasoned Labour figures who are viewed to be politically savvy. Alakeson is credited by colleagues for spotting issues online around the party’s position on Israel/Palestine and immigration early on. After multiple complaints about the No. 10 grid (be it the lack of announcements in it) there is also a new strategic head of communications, former hack James Lyons.
What does this all point to? As well as an implicit acceptance by Starmer that his first three months have not gone to plan, it suggests that the Prime Minister accepts his government has not been sufficiently political. This has been one of the gripes of Labour aides and MPs – a sense that the move from opposition to government had seen Starmer lose his purpose. Replacing that were a bunch of disjointed announcements (some planned, some leaked).
‘On one week we had doubling down on cutting winter fuel allowance, banning cigarettes outside pubs and weighing people at work,’ complains a senior Labour figure. So, the hope is that by having a natural campaigner in the most senior advisory role along with a strengthened communications team, the whole operation will have more of a focus.
As for what that focus will be, it’s worth taking a look at the politics of McSweeney. Starmer’s longstanding aide is not some Oxbridge educated bleeding heart liberal. He is a Cork born Labour organiser who founded Labour Together in a bid to take the party back from Jeremy Corbyn. McSweeney worked and researched which Labour politicians would be best placed to lead the project and eventually the group concluded it was Starmer. Prior to this, McSweeney also took on the hard right, organising against the BNP in Barking. When it comes to where McSweeney and his allies view the political threat to Labour as now, the Reform party is high on the list. It follows that, if this new No. 10 is succeeding in its mission, it will be in responding to the challenge posed by Nigel Farage’s party.
