Morgan McSweeney, Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff, says Labour failed to prepare adequately for government after taking power. In his first interview, reported by the BBC, McSweeney states that the party “hadn’t done enough to prepare for Government” and that Labour did not deliver quickly enough in office. The same account is reflected across other coverage, including the Daily Mail and The Mirror, which report McSweeney’s view that Labour was not ready to govern following the 2024 election.
Several outlets also include McSweeney’s comments on how the government viewed the economy at the start of its term. The Daily Mail reports he describes ministers as “too gloomy” about the economic outlook when they took office, while The Mirror says he argues Labour should have been more optimistic during its early months in government.
Overall, the reporting centres on McSweeney’s admission that preparation and early delivery were insufficient, framed as part of his assessment of Labour’s performance in office rather than a specific policy dispute.
