By Elizabeth Piper and Sam Tabahriti
LONDON, Feb 9 (Reuters) – Keir Starmer’s communications chief, Tim Allan, resigned on Monday, saying he was making way for a new team to be built to support the British leader who is under fire over his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States.
Allan’s departure comes just a day after Starmer’s closest aide, Morgan McSweeney, resigned saying he took responsibility for pushing the appointment of Mandelson, whose close links to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have raised questions about Starmer’s judgment and his ability to govern.
Starmer addressed staff at his Downing Street office, urging them to stay united. “We must prove that politics can be a force for good,” he told them.
“I believe it can. I believe it is. We go forward from here. We go with confidence as we continue changing the country.”
Instead, another resignation did little to calm the mood or quieten those voices calling on Starmer to step down.
British government borrowing costs rose, reflecting investors’ concerns over the future path of the Labour government’s fiscal policy.
STARMER WANTS TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE
After deciding with McSweeney on Sunday that it was the right moment for him to move on, Starmer had hoped to reset the narrative and attempt to return to an agenda he has so far failed to keep any focus on – tackling the cost of living crisis and boosting the British economy.
The leader of the opposition Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, accused Starmer of being unable to run his government.
“He’s like a plastic bag blowing in the wind. We need him to get a grip and if he can’t do it then someone else in the Labour Party needs to do that, or they should have an election,” Badenoch told Sky News.
Starmer had hoped Allan, appointed in September to shore up a struggling Downing Street operation, would help the government secure a better hearing in the British media, but instead the former adviser to ex-prime minister Tony Blair often drew criticism for being slow to take decisions.
“I have decided to stand down to allow a new No.10 (Downing Street) team to be built. I wish the PM and his team every success,” Allan said in a statement.
PRIME MINISTER TO MEET LAWMAKERS
The new scandal over Mandelson, who was sacked as ambassador to the United States in September, came after files released by the U.S. Justice Department last month included emails suggesting Mandelson had leaked discussions on possible UK asset sales and tax changes to Epstein during the financial crash.
Mandelson has said he does not recall having received payments. He has not commented publicly on allegations he leaked documents, and did not respond to messages seeking comment.
Starmer will meet Labour lawmakers later on Monday and try to ease anger over the handling of Mandelson’s appointment and quieten those voices saying he should quit.
On the departure of McSweeney, one Labour lawmaker described it as “politically tone deaf,” suggesting on condition of anonymity that he should have resigned when the new allegations came out last week, rather than dragging it out “to see if he could survive”.
Mandelson is now under police investigation for alleged misconduct in office.
Starmer has defended his own actions, accusing Mandelson of creating a “litany of deceit” about his Epstein ties and promising to release documents on how he was appointed.
(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti, Elizabeth Piper and Catarina Demony; writing by Sarah Young; editing by William James and Ros Russell)
Comments