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BBC Analysis: Tough week for Keir Starmer, British Prime Minister's post at risk

2026-02-09 23:55:07Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Keir Starmer

Since it was announced that the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff, Morgan McSweeney, was leaving, the BBC's political editor, Chris Mason, writes that he has spoken to many figures in the Labour Party, to understand their situation and, more importantly, what might happen next.

According to him, this is one of those volatile and unpredictable moments where anything seems possible, or at least nothing would be completely surprising. The departure of communications chief Tim Allan came less than 24 hours after McSweeney's farewell. Just hours later, Starmer lost another close ally, further highlighting how directionless his administration seems.

Who is to blame for the mess the British government is in varies depending on who you ask. But one thing is constant: everyone acknowledges that Keir Starmer’s situation is grave and that he faces great danger. Those who spoke to him over the weekend describe him as a man aware of the situation. He is filled with anger at what he calls Lord Mandelson’s “lies” to which he fell prey, and he is angry with himself for the grave mistake he made in appointing him ambassador to the US.

"He hates the idea that he has let people down and it really affects him. He knows he has made a big mistake," a senior figure in the Labour Party told the BBC.

Next week Starmer steps into an unprecedented position. For as long as he has sought or held political leadership, McSweeney has been by his side, from his bid for the Labour leadership six years ago, through difficult moments like the Hartlepool by-election defeat, to his landslide victory in the summer of 2024 general election, and then to Downing Street.

Now, with the departure of two of his closest aides, McSweeney and Allan, it is becoming clear how vulnerable the British prime minister is. McSweeney often took the blame for the government's mistakes, but now the risk is that the next blow will fall directly on Starmer.

Some MPs are desperate for McSweeney's departure: "Brilliant, dynamic, fast, motivating, he got us here," said one MP elected in 2024. Others say that, despite his success, he was there when and where the repeated mistakes happened.

The main questions now concern the prime minister himself. His allies and critics speak in similar language: a sense of inevitable pessimism. One senior figure said: “This is one of his last chances.” Another added: “He will have to come out and very quickly make clear what he stands for and what he wants to do.”

Starmer is expected to speak at a closed-door meeting of the Labour Party's parliamentary group on Monday evening. He is not expected to appear on camera at the moment, but that could change. The party's MPs are his most important constituency at the moment, without their authority a prime minister does not last long in office.

Many MPs see this as a “last chance”. McSweeney’s departure has bought Starmer time, but perhaps only a week. After that, many MPs will be unsure again. Keir Starmer is the sixth prime minister in the last decade. If he leaves in the coming months, Britain would have its fifth prime minister in four years. And that already looks like a real possibility.


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