Keir Starmer branded Morgan McSweeney's 'empty vessel' after dodging sleaze probe: 'Ultimate humiliation'

Georgia Pearce
Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:15:08 +0000

Sir Keir Starmer was an "empty vessel" for Morgan McSweeney to "use and deploy as he wished", a prominent political journalist has claimed.

Speaking to GB News, The Spectator's William Atkinson suggested that the appointment of Lord Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador was "Morgan McSweeney's decision", and the Prime Minister simply "implemented it".

The claims follow the Prime Minister's successful dodge of a sleaze probe investigation, which secured a majority of 112 votes in his favour.

However, 15 Labour MPs rebelled against the whip, voting against Sir Keir and calling for the Privileges Committee to investigate.

TRENDING

Stories

Videos

Your Say

Reacting to the fallout following the vote, Mr Atkinson said Sir Keir is facing the "ultimate humiliation", comparing the Peter Mandelson scandal to Boris Johnson's woes in 2022.

He told GB News: "To be put through all the same sort of parliamentary chicanery that he put Boris Johnson through, it's the ultimate humiliation.

"And I do think there is an element of the sort of fall of Keir Starmer that echoes the fall of Boris Johnson."

Mr Atkinson suggested that the Lord Mandelson scandal presents much more "farce" than the scandals Mr Johnson faced during his premiership.

He said: "The first time is tragedy, the second is farce, snd there certainly seemed far more farcical even than those ludicrous days in the in early 2022."

Criticising the Prime Minister, Mr Atkinson accused Sir Keir of being an "empty vessel", which his former Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney used to his advantage.

He explained: "Morgan McSweeney was taking the blame because from the best books that have been written about this Labour Government, it makes it clear that Keir Starmer is an empty vessel.

"And he was an empty vessel that Morgan McSweeney used and sort of deployed as he wished."

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

Steve Reed skewered in fiery GB News grilling as MPs vote to block Keir Starmer sleaze probe

PM made 'thin-skinned mistake' after whipping Labour MPs to block sleaze probe, says Esther McVey

Keir Starmer 'offers Angela Rayner Cabinet job' in final dice roll to stave off leadership challenge

Mr Atkinson argued: "So in a sense, Morgan McSweeney taking the blame for the Peter Mandelson decision is because it was Morgan McSweeney who made that decision and Keir Starmer who implemented it.

"Because it would be bizarre for both of them to pretend that the Prime Minister has any sort of political nous or direction of his own, and he clearly doesn't."

Questioned by host Andrew Pierce on who he believes is now "pushing the Prime Minister in any direction" since Mr McSweeney's departure, Mr Atkinson said the team left in No10 is a "selection of nonentities".

He told GB News: "The team in No10 is now a sort of selection of nonentity, and with the rapidity with which Keir Starmer seems to get through staff, none of them could be expected to last that long.

"So again, this is a Government that always had no vision to it, no direction, aside from not being the Tories."

Mr Atkinson concluded: "And now that it's cycled through the only person who seemed to have any political vision, now it's the only person who desired to get this Government re-elected there is no reason for it to stay. And yet we are condemned to be put through it day by day, week by week."

Speaking to the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday, Morgan McSweeney said he made a "serious error of judgement" in advising the Prime Minister in the appointment of Lord Peter Mandelson to US Ambassador.

The former Chief of Staff said: "The appointment of Mandelson as ambassador was a serious error of judgement. I advised the Prime Minister in support of that appointment and I was wrong to do so."