Keir Starmer’s premiership entered uncharted territory today as pressure spread beyond Westminster, with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar expected to call on the Prime Minister to step down. The intervention came as Tim Allan, the Prime Minister’s Director of Communications, resigned just a day after Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney stepped down. Allan, who had served only five months and was the fourth person to hold the role under Starmer in under a year, said he was standing aside “to allow a new No. 10 team to be built.” The back-to-back departures have intensified a sense of crisis at the heart of government, leaving the Prime Minister politically exposed at a time when the debate has moved to when he will resign.
McSweeney’s resignation on Sunday was linked to his role in advising Starmer to appoint Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the United States in 2024. Framed as an acceptance of responsibility, McSweeney called for a comprehensive overhaul of vetting procedures and senior appointments. Yet the move, rather than shielding Starmer, has exposed him as McSweeney's departure means the risk now falls directly on Starmer. Conservative Party Chair Kevin Hollinrake described the Prime Minister’s position as untenable following the loss of his top aide, underscoring the fragility of his leadership in the face of mounting scrutiny.
Days earlier, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch had accused Starmer of having “chosen to inject Mandelson’s poison into the heart of his government on the advice of Morgan McSweeney” and questioned whether he still had confidence in his adviser. Starmer defended McSweeney in the House of Commons, stating: “He helped me change the Labour Party and win an election. Of course, I have confidence.” Allan’s departure, however, has reinforced perceptions that Starmer is losing both operational protection and political footing.
Within Labour, the episode has shifted long-standing unease into something approaching open crisis. Senior figures, backbench MPs, and party activists are increasingly questioning not only the handling of the Mandelson affair but also the Prime Minister’s capacity to reassert authority after prolonged instability. Calls for him to consider his position are no longer confined to the party’s margins, and the loss of his closest political allies has left him unusually vulnerable. Polling conducted prior to McSweeney’s resignation already indicated dissatisfaction among party members, a sentiment now reaffirmed in the wake of Allan’s departure.
Attention in Westminster has shifted from whether pressure will build to whether Starmer can survive it, and who might succeed him. Angela Rayner is frequently cited as a potential successor, though her prior cabinet resignation over tax irregularities complicates her prospects. Wes Streeting’s defence of Mandelson last autumn has weakened his standing, while other figures, including Ed Miliband, John Healey, and Andy Burnham, are discussed but no consensus has emerged.
Even so, the convergence of ongoing Mandelson disclosures, internal dissent, operational breakdown, and looming elections has left Starmer’s survival as Prime Minister uncertain. For the first time Starmer is facing serious turbulence without the advisers who historically shielded him, a period described by many insiders as his final opportunity to succeed before failure is inevitable. With each passing day, the question in Westminster has shifted decisively from when Starmer might fall to if he can withstand the storm, and whether the Labour government itself can emerge stable in the aftermath.
Headlines
- Keir Starmer's director of communications quits, day after chief of staff steps down – BBC News
- US and India reach interim trade deal - The Financial Times
- Police examine claims Andrew ‘exploited’ trade role by passing reports to Epstein – The Times
What’s on in Parliament
Monday 9th February
House of Commons
- Oral questions: Home Office
- General debate: General debate on the UK-India free trade agreement
- Westminster Hall debate: e-petition 744215 relating to Russian influencer on UK politics and democracy
House of Lords
- Introductions: Baroness MacLeod of Camusdarach; Baroness Antrobus
- Oral questions: Improving the servive, quality and affordability of public transport to remote communities
- Legislation: Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill - third reading
- Statement: National Cancer Plan
Tuesday 10th February
House of Commons
- Oral questions: Energy Security and Net Zero
- Westminster Hall debate: Independent Water Commission Final Report
- Westminster Hall debate: Impact of screen time on young children
House of Lords
- Oral questions: Timeline for legislation banning the sale of energy drinks to under-16s
- Oral questions: Whether the vetting process for ambassadors is sufficiently robust
- Orders and regulations: Guaranteed Minimum Pensions Increase Order 2026
Wednesday 11th February
House of Commons
- Oral questions: Northern Ireland
- Prime Minister’s Question Time
- Motion: Police Grant Report
House of Lords
- Oral questions: Progress towards delivering 1.5 million new homes by the end of this Parliament
- Oral questions: UK transition to electric vehicles
Thursday 12th February
House of Commons
- Oral questions: Transport
- Backbench Business: General debate on LGBT+ history month
- Business Questions to the Leader of the House
- Westminster Hall debate: Onshoring in the fashion and textiles industry
House of Lords
- Introductions: Lord Dixon of Jericho
- Oral questions: Update on the Post Offie Capture and Horizon scandals
- Legislation: Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill - committee stage
Friday 13th February
Parliament is in recess and will next sit on 23rd February
Consultations
- Proposed changes to the Social Work Bursary and the Education Support Grant – closes 7th April
- Make Work Pay: modernising the Agency Work Regulatory Framework – closes 1st May
- A new Victims' Code – closes 30th April
Statistics
- Pupil attendance in schools – published 5th February
- Unclaimed estates list – published 6th February
- Public-sector trade union facility time data - published 9th February