Keir Starmer is no longer the master of his own destiny, so what happens next?
Morgan McSweeney has fallen on his sword to save the Prime Minister’s job - but is it enough?
It has been another difficult weekend in the office for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
On Sunday Morgan McSweeney, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff resigned, saying he takes “full responsibility” for advising Sir Keir to appoint the disgraced Peter Mandelson as US ambassador.
The public at large might not be as familiar with Mr McSweeney as they are with Sir Keir, but he played an integral role in the Prime Minister’s leadership and government. It is one of the most powerful roles in government, advising the Prime Minister on government policy, party politics and communication strategies.
There was wide speculation that Mr McSweeney’s days were numbered, but many are seeing him as the fall guy to keep Sir Keir in a job. For many, getting rid of the man pulling the strings in the background is not enough.
On Monday evening Sir Keir will address Labour MPs at a weekly private parliamentary Labour Party meeting. It is a meeting the Prime Minister will need to tread carefully at, as his backbenchers are not happy.
Scottish Labour MP Brian Leishman says the Prime Minister “must consider following Mr McSweeney’s lead one last time”. Others say there needs to be a “cultural reset” within the party and that Starmer needs to “own the error he has made and recognise the problem in front of him”.
The big problem here is if a sizable group of reasonably powerful MPs decide to move against him publicly this evening. That is when we might see the shoogly peg Sir Keir is currently balancing on falling on, particularly as he is now clinging onto leadership without his right-hand man by his side.
The saving grace for the Labour leader might be how close it is to the Holyrood election in May (as well as the Welsh and local elections in England).
Polling is not looking great for Labour right now - they could be on track for annihilation in Wales (something that would have been unthinkable a couple of years ago).
While there is still a chance for the party in Scotland, several polls suggest they will be left in the dust by the SNP and Reform UK.
The question for Labour in these elections is not a matter of victory and defeat, but a small defeat and a massive wipe-out.
No one will want to take on that poisoned chalice. There is very little time to make a difference to the polling now, so it is unlikely many will come forward to take on the top job knowing they are on track for failure.
The names who have been linked to the top job in recent months are no longer certain either.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting might be out due to his own links to Mandelson. Former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner is still having his tax affairs reviewed. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has been blocked from standing for Westminster.
So there is no obvious candidate to take over from Sir Keir, which also might save him this time around.
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