The rise of Morgan McSweeney, Starmer’s replacement for Sue Gray

Sue Grey has resigned because the Prime Minister’s chief of employees, saying she “risked changing into a distraction” after weeks of unfavorable briefings towards the highest aide.

She might be changed by Sir Keir Starmer‘s chief adviser, Morgan McSweeney.

Her departure for a brand new function because the Prime Minister’s envoy for the areas and nations follows reviews of tensions in No 10 between her and Mr McSweeney, in addition to with Cupboard Secretary Simon Case.

Controversy ensued after it was revealed that Ms Grey was paid £170,000 – larger than the wage of the Prime Minister – which sparked anger amongst Labour particular advisers.

Within the early days of the administration, there have been additionally reviews of a rift between Ms Grey and Mr McSweeney.

Ms Grey was additionally accused of holding a decent grip over newly-appointed ministers’ political employees, often called particular advisers – forcing Cupboard sources to hurry to her defence – and of blocking sure safety officers from briefing the Prime Minister. On the time, the allegations had been denied by No 10.

In a single allegation revealed by The Guardian, it was claimed that Ms Grey had moved Mr McSweeney’s desk farther from the PM’s workplace. There had additionally been reviews over a conflict between how her Grey and Mr McSweeney’s respective groups had been making an attempt to run Authorities.

For Mr McSweeney, the brand new function will additional cement his standing because the Prime Minister’s right-hand man and some of the highly effective folks in No 10.

Though he stays effectively out of the highlight, the soft-spoken Irishman is understood in political circles because the mastermind behind Labour’s profitable common election marketing campaign.

Mr McSweeney, 47, was beforehand the marketing campaign supervisor for the Labour Get together and the previous director of the think-tank Labour Collectively.

Whereas he has been praised for placing Labour in energy once more, these on the left bemoan his efforts to wipe out Corbynism from the celebration.

Left-wing candidates and activists have been sidelined below Mr McSweeney’s watch, which noticed his buddies and allies parachuted into protected seats.

His spouse, Imogen Walker, turned the Labour MP for Hamilton and Clyde Valley after the July election.

Mr McSweeney has been in comparison with Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson’s former chief adviser, and Isaac Levido, the election strategist who helped propel the Conservatives to a landslide victory in 2019.

His early years of battling the far left

Born in Macroom, County Cork, he moved to London when he was 17 and labored on constructing websites earlier than finding out politics.

His earliest function for Labour was within the assault and rebuttal unit on the celebration’s headquarters throughout Tony Blair’s time as prime minister.

In the course of the New Labour years, he labored below Lord Peter Mandelson, climbing the ranks to organise wins in marginal seats.

From Lord Mandelson he gained an appreciation for gaining management of the celebration equipment, which stood him in good stead lately.

In 2006, he turned a marketing campaign aide to Steve Reed – now Surroundings Secretary – who led Lambeth Council and wrestled management from a hard-left Labour chief who was a dedicated Trotskyist.

The pair sought to revive the celebration’s popularity and restore management failures that had led to excessive taxes, poorly-run companies and the sexual abuse of youngsters within the council’s care. A give attention to seemingly mundane however vital native points, akin to tackling fly-tipping and deserted automobiles, mixed with persistent leafleting proved to be a profitable method.

In one other marketing campaign in Dagenham, east London, he helped a Labour candidate defeat the British Nationwide Get together with a give attention to native points, whilst Gordon Brown misplaced the election at a nationwide degree.

He was not all the time profitable: his work on Liz Kendall’s 2015 management bid led to an abysmal defeat. Ms Kendall, who’s now Work and Pensions Secretary, secured solely 4.5 per cent of the vote within the contest which noticed Jeremy Corbyn develop into the celebration chief.

The formation of Labour Collectively

However he remained undeterred. In 2017, Mr McSweeney and Mr Reed fashioned Labour Collectively, a think-tank supposed to struggle Corbynism.

Mr McSweeney used the think-tank to persuade Labour MPs to remain within the celebration below Mr Corbyn relatively than go away, and await him to be defeated earlier than preventing to retake management.

Labour Collectively grew into the facility base behind Sir Keir management bid, and it’s believed that the group had earmarked him as an inheritor to New Labour as early as 2015.

Based on The Occasions, he allegedly obtained funding from former donors to Sir Tony and Ed Miliband to analysis celebration members, a lot of it undeclared.

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He’s stated to have been appalled by the Corbyn period, together with antisemitism allegations, and believed Mr Corbyn’s politics would doom the celebration to failure.

The analysis helped him establish three forms of celebration members: dedicated leftists, idealists who wished a extra hopeful politics and disliked Tory austerity and Sir Tony’s overseas wars, and people who believed compromise was vital to realize energy.

It was the latter two teams that Mr McSweeney wooed when he ran Sir Keir’s management marketing campaign after the 2019 election.

Sir Keir’s promise was to maintain some insurance policies from the Corbyn period, alongside a promise to convey the celebration to energy.

His critics on the left argue that he deceived the celebration’s membership into voting for him, with 10 left-wing pledges that had been binned after his win.

Amongst them had been pledges that water and mail ought to be in public fingers, free motion could be defended, revenue tax could be elevated for the highest 5 per cent of earners, and Tory cuts to company tax could be reversed.

Purging Corbynism

After Sir Keir turned Labour chief in 2020, Mr McSweeney oversaw the elimination of Corbyn supporters from each layer of energy contained in the celebration.

This prolonged from positions on the nationwide government committee to smaller committees and employees roles within the celebration’s headquarters.

He was behind modifications to Labour’s choice course of for parliamentary candidates, which was opposed by the commerce union motion.

Underneath the system, the celebration’s headquarters saved management of the longlisting stage, which has led to Corbyn allies being largely blocked from changing into new MPs.

In contrast, 5 Labour Collectively employees or coverage fellows turned MPs in the newest election.

His management type is taken into account to be a departure from his predecessors.

A celebration staffer instructed The Guardian he was softly spoken and approachable – in contrast to Labour particular advisers within the 2000s who had been identified for expletive-laden outbursts.

He has been described as having a darkish sense of humour. Earlier than the 2023 native elections, as he unveiled goal seats he reportedly instructed shadow cupboard advisers: “Each time you or your boss visits someplace not on this listing, a Labour councillor dies.”

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However regardless of his recognition with Starmer allies, an influence battle with Sue Grey reportedly grew behind the scenes.

Earlier than Ms Grey resigned, it had been reported that she had twice moved Mr McSweeney’s desk additional away from the Prime Minister’s workplace. It was additionally reported that Simon Case, the Cupboard Secretary, had refused to approve Ms Grey’s request for Mr McSweeney to be denied entry to a safe laptop system until he heard it from the Prime Minister himself.

No 10 and Whitehall officers have strenuously denied claims Mr McSweeney had been blocked from receiving safety briefings.

It’s unknown who leaked Ms Grey’s wage particulars – which confirmed she was paid greater than the Prime Minister, and dominated headlines – however the unfavorable press round her has helped pave the best way for Mr McSweeney to imagine her function.

A key query that is still is what he’ll do with the elevated energy as he cements his place on the coronary heart of Starmer’s Authorities.

It has been rumoured that Mr McSweeney may attempt to power rule modifications to stop the membership from selecting one other left-wing chief once more – as an illustration, by solely permitting MPs to vote.

Others say he’ll already be paving the best way for a 2029 victory by specializing in delivering the insurance policies that he performed a hand in deciding on for his or her widespread enchantment.