I confess to a visceral dislike of Morgan McSweeney; but what is most objectionable and pernicious about him is his absolute prioritisation of party over country.
He is the worst possible political advisor for a weak individual like Starmer.
If he is kept in post, any good he may possibly have done in Barking will be eradicated in political memory by his role in bringing Reform to government.
I get the impression that politicians think, if I have the right wing press like me (because the press are predominantly right wing) I get enough donors, especially big ones and the best hotshot advisor I can find then the GE is a slam dunk.
It’s not true.
The right wing press are sounding increasingly batshit. It’s a bad sign frankly if you get favourable headlines from them if you want voters to trust you.
There needs to be a tightening of the flow of dark money into political parties to prevent corruption. Keir Starmer is reluctant to tackle it. That’s a bad sign.
Too many SPADS. All a bit shit really. Tories and had SPADS and the right wing press, it didn’t save them.
It’s like politicians can’t be bothered trusting themselves or their MPs. Like they want to bypass the public and influence them instead. Then get baffled when their grand formula for electoral success backfires. The Tory Party were bought. Corrupt as hell. Johnson brought incompetent, ambitious cronies in to the party who never opposed him. If Lee Anderson, a grifting moron, can make it to Chair of the Conservative Party then anyone can. As long as you don’t tell the truth or have principles. Eventually you get found out. As will Reform eventually.
Keir Starmer purged the left and blocked candidates. His MPs aren’t incompetent but it’s too rigid, not a broad church. Now he’s losing voters. I voted tactically against the Tories. I voted for him to be Leader because he was pro-Remain that’s it. I can’t say I particularly liked him or knew much about him. But this descent into Blue Labour? He’s gone way too far. He’s drifting away from core Labour principles. How can a Labour voter relate to that?
Thanks Adam - I’d argue this analysis has been a long time a-coming. Since the disastrous WFA debacle, I’ve wondered WTAF is going on in Westminster because none of the comms make sense when weighed against policy unless you’re actively trying to destroy the party. But then none of this is helped by having a weak leader in Starmer. As a party member, it is incredibly demoralising and with all outs looming in 2026, some of us are counting what we will have left after this shitshow.
It's almost like that, with enough electorates and enough elections, through sheer random chance some political advisor will appear to have a stunning success and then be lauded for their genius when it was all just probability and not actual human agency or strategy. Hmmm?
I think it’s always worth reminding the Labour leadership and their gloating strategists that their “incredible” 2024 performance was achieved with less votes than Corbyn’s “abysmal” performance in 2019. They made a deal with Murdoch and still couldn’t get more votes than Corbyn.
A strategy that doesn’t recognise this fact is doomed to fail.
Before finding out about McSweeneys resignation I’d just listened to a lengthy and mesmerising / terrifying interview with Carole Cadwalladwr on Politics Joe concerning the UK’s Health and Defence contracts with US Trump aligned Palantir. So our data on defence - including nuclear - and our most personal details around our healthcare, can now be accessed and exploited not only by Palantir and associated entangled brokigarch corporates, but by a US Government that a) has given itself the right to access all data held by US based companies and b) is creating a slush fund to support far right wing parties across Europe to subvert democracy and further its interests.
With McSweeney gone how do we ensure that both in the advising of Starmer while he’s still there and in the debate around who should replace him that the flashing red lights Carole Cadwalladwr warns us of are heeded. There’s never been a more ‘Nation before Party’ moment.
Time for all those in the party who are already persuaded by Clive Lewis’s clear insights to speak up, whatever faction they belong to. True patriotism, authentic sovereignty and the freedom of our children from tyranny are all at stake. Which should, of course, be at the heart of Labours values and mission in any case.
I find this latest instalment, the non-coup coup, fascinating from the point of view of political journalism. All these podcasts and papers which say they want to protect their listeners and readers from the spin, "dig deep" etc are not naming the source of the briefing - even though they admit receiving briefing phone calls. Since Starmer has said he had nothing to do with it, it's a matter of public interest who was spreading this story, political journalists clearly know but aren't telling us.
I confess to a visceral dislike of Morgan McSweeney; but what is most objectionable and pernicious about him is his absolute prioritisation of party over country.
He is the worst possible political advisor for a weak individual like Starmer.
If he is kept in post, any good he may possibly have done in Barking will be eradicated in political memory by his role in bringing Reform to government.
I get the impression that politicians think, if I have the right wing press like me (because the press are predominantly right wing) I get enough donors, especially big ones and the best hotshot advisor I can find then the GE is a slam dunk.
It’s not true.
The right wing press are sounding increasingly batshit. It’s a bad sign frankly if you get favourable headlines from them if you want voters to trust you.
There needs to be a tightening of the flow of dark money into political parties to prevent corruption. Keir Starmer is reluctant to tackle it. That’s a bad sign.
Too many SPADS. All a bit shit really. Tories and had SPADS and the right wing press, it didn’t save them.
It’s like politicians can’t be bothered trusting themselves or their MPs. Like they want to bypass the public and influence them instead. Then get baffled when their grand formula for electoral success backfires. The Tory Party were bought. Corrupt as hell. Johnson brought incompetent, ambitious cronies in to the party who never opposed him. If Lee Anderson, a grifting moron, can make it to Chair of the Conservative Party then anyone can. As long as you don’t tell the truth or have principles. Eventually you get found out. As will Reform eventually.
Keir Starmer purged the left and blocked candidates. His MPs aren’t incompetent but it’s too rigid, not a broad church. Now he’s losing voters. I voted tactically against the Tories. I voted for him to be Leader because he was pro-Remain that’s it. I can’t say I particularly liked him or knew much about him. But this descent into Blue Labour? He’s gone way too far. He’s drifting away from core Labour principles. How can a Labour voter relate to that?
Thanks Adam - I’d argue this analysis has been a long time a-coming. Since the disastrous WFA debacle, I’ve wondered WTAF is going on in Westminster because none of the comms make sense when weighed against policy unless you’re actively trying to destroy the party. But then none of this is helped by having a weak leader in Starmer. As a party member, it is incredibly demoralising and with all outs looming in 2026, some of us are counting what we will have left after this shitshow.
It's almost like that, with enough electorates and enough elections, through sheer random chance some political advisor will appear to have a stunning success and then be lauded for their genius when it was all just probability and not actual human agency or strategy. Hmmm?
See:
Large Numbers, Law of
Stock traders vs chimpanzee
Stock traders vs dartboard
Musk, E.
I think it’s always worth reminding the Labour leadership and their gloating strategists that their “incredible” 2024 performance was achieved with less votes than Corbyn’s “abysmal” performance in 2019. They made a deal with Murdoch and still couldn’t get more votes than Corbyn.
A strategy that doesn’t recognise this fact is doomed to fail.
I don’t live in Barking but I work there and have done so from 2004 to now. I agree that the General Election was a much bigger factor.
I have my own reasons for disliking McSweeney, chiefly the silly pre-election commitments to Brexit but also the knifing of Sue Gray.
I look forward to seeing the back of him.
Before finding out about McSweeneys resignation I’d just listened to a lengthy and mesmerising / terrifying interview with Carole Cadwalladwr on Politics Joe concerning the UK’s Health and Defence contracts with US Trump aligned Palantir. So our data on defence - including nuclear - and our most personal details around our healthcare, can now be accessed and exploited not only by Palantir and associated entangled brokigarch corporates, but by a US Government that a) has given itself the right to access all data held by US based companies and b) is creating a slush fund to support far right wing parties across Europe to subvert democracy and further its interests.
With McSweeney gone how do we ensure that both in the advising of Starmer while he’s still there and in the debate around who should replace him that the flashing red lights Carole Cadwalladwr warns us of are heeded. There’s never been a more ‘Nation before Party’ moment.
Time for all those in the party who are already persuaded by Clive Lewis’s clear insights to speak up, whatever faction they belong to. True patriotism, authentic sovereignty and the freedom of our children from tyranny are all at stake. Which should, of course, be at the heart of Labours values and mission in any case.
I find this latest instalment, the non-coup coup, fascinating from the point of view of political journalism. All these podcasts and papers which say they want to protect their listeners and readers from the spin, "dig deep" etc are not naming the source of the briefing - even though they admit receiving briefing phone calls. Since Starmer has said he had nothing to do with it, it's a matter of public interest who was spreading this story, political journalists clearly know but aren't telling us.