Defence Secretary John Healey said it's not surprising to see a senior staffer in Number 10 become 'a lightning conductor for criticism' following the resignation of Sue Gray.
Keir Starmer was warned he must 'get a grip' on his panicking government today after Sue Gray's extraordinary exit.
Even allies are acknowledging that Sir Keir must do better after a post-election 'honeymoon' cut short by the winter fuel allowance furore, freebies scandal and a Downing Street civil war. A grim poll this morning suggested six in 10 Brits already view the Labour administration as 'sleazy'. However, he said her 'decision' to step aside meant the Government's case could be set out 'more clearly'.
Pressed if that meant the right structures were not in place before the spokesman said: 'I think it's right to reflect on the first weeks and months in office to ensure that you do have the right structures in place going forward to deliver change for the country and as the Prime Minister said the appointments he's made will strengthen the Downing Street operation and demonstrate his determination to deliver the change that the country voted for.
He refused to be drawn on whether Ms Gray's new role as envoy to the regions and nations was salaried or whether she would be elevated to the House of Lords, saying: 'None of those are decisions for me.'But he pointed to the decision to wait until October 30 for the Budget as an example of mistakes. 'That seemed to run out after the sitting weeks ended in July and we got into the recess of August. It just went from the country demanding change to a Government delivering drift.''I don't know what's actually happened to cause the problems that's led to this reshuffle… the most important thing is to get the team right so they can actually get on with delivering those key missions that Keir Starmer got into government to do,' she said.
Having been director of centrist think-tank Labour Together, he ran Sir Keir's successful leadership campaign in 2020 before becoming director of campaigns as he plotted the party's rise to power this year. Mr McSweeney, whose wife Imogen Walker is a newly elected Labour MP in Scotland, has been given two female assistants.
It had been thought that the recruitment process had been held up by tussles between Ms Gray and others in No 10 over who should get the job, as she reportedly favoured a former colleague.
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