Chris Mason,Political editor and
Harry Farley,Political correspondent
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The prime minister’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney was not involved “directly or indirectly” in briefings against cabinet ministers and will not be leaving his job, sources have told the BBC.
Sir Keir Starmer has faced calls to sack those who briefed journalists that ministers including Health Secretary Wes Streeting were plotting to challenge the PM.
Some in government have blamed McSweeney for being the source of the briefings, which have knocked the government off course.
McSweeney has not responded to calls for comment but people who have spoken to him have told the BBC: “He’s done absolutely nothing wrong. He’s not going anywhere.”
They added: “I can categorically say he was not involved indirectly or directly.”
Journalists were briefed on Tuesday by allies of the PM that he would take on any challenge to his leadership, in an attempt to shore up his position.
There were also briefings that he faced a threat from named ministers, particularly Streeting.
Government sources have sought to draw a distinction between the two.
Sir Keir earlier said he had been assured by his team in Downing Street that the briefings about cabinet ministers did not come from Number 10.
Speaking during a visit to North Wales, the prime minister said: “I have been talking to my team today. I have been assured that no briefing against ministers was done from No 10 but I have made it clear that I find it absolutely unacceptable.”
He added: “I have been assured it didn’t come from Downing Street but I have been equally clear that whether it is this case or any other, I intend to deal with it.”
Asked if he would sack those responsible, Sir Keir replied: “I will absolutely deal with anybody responsible for briefing against ministers, cabinet ministers or any other ministers.
“I have always said that is the standard that I expect, and that is the standard that I will enforce.”
Asked whether he still has confidence in McSweeney, the Labour leader said: “Of course I do. I work closely with my whole team. Our focus is on working for the country.”
One Labour MP and McSweeney ally told the BBC they were “really worried” about the chief of staff’s welfare amid the torrent of public criticism.
Briefings are often part of reporting on politics in Westminster, when people speak to journalists “off the record” on condition that they are not named.
This means they say things that they are not prepared to say on camera, which the BBC reports in order to give the full story.
Both Streeting and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband have said the person behind the briefings should be sacked.
On Thursday, Streeting brushed off questions about the row saying it was “silly Westminster soap opera stuff” and “yesterday’s news”.
Sir Keir apologised to Streeting in a brief phone call on Wednesday evening.
Speaking to the BBC, Miliband said it had been a “bad couple of days”, adding: “We’ve got to learn the lessons of this episode and say this is not where the focus should be.”
He said he was confident the prime minister would want to find who the anonymous briefer was and “get rid of them if he can find out”.
“He hates it when things get leaked, he hates it when cabinet colleagues get briefed against.
“People might think ‘if he hates it, why can’t he stop it’.
“The truth is, sometimes these things do happen. There are noises off and you can never quite know where they are coming from.”
Miliband’s name has been discussed by some Labour MPs as another possible challenger to the prime minister.
Asked if he would rule out returning as Labour leader, he replied: “Yes.”
He added: “I had the best inoculation technique against wanting to be leader of the Labour Party which is that I was leader of the Labour Party, between 2010 and 2015.
“I’ve got the T-shirt – that chapter’s closed.”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused Downing Street of “a cover up”.
“They’re trying to sweep this under the rug because they have allowed people to see just how much chaos and disunity there is in government,” she said
“They need to get back to work.”
Former Conservative Chancellor Jeremy Hunt told Matt Chorley on BBC Radio 5 Live that he thought Streeting had “played a blinder” and “enhanced his reputation” with how he responded to the briefings.
Sir Jeremy added that the incident demonstrated No 10 knew it was in “deep trouble” and “doesn’t appear to know what the hell it wants to do”.
