Starmer Defends Morgan McSweeney Over Phone Theft Allegation

Keir Starmer has rejected claims that his former chief of staff faked the theft of his government phone to avoid handing over messages between him and Peter Mandelson.

Morgan McSweeney phoned the Metropolitan Police on October 20 last year to say the iPhone had been snatched out of his hand in Westminster.

The Met released a transcript of the call which revealed McSweeney did not tell them who he was and why the phone contained highly-sensitive information.

He also mistakenly gave the call handler the wrong street name for where the theft took place.

The phone’s disappearance meant it was not possible to access any potential communications between McSweeney and disgraced former US ambassador Mandelson.

In a post on X on Wednesday, Labour MP Karl Turner said: “I don’t believe McSwindle had his iPhone stolen.”

Asked on Sky News this morning whether the phone’s disappearance is part of a “cover-up”, Starmer said: “Well the phone was stolen. It was reported to the police.

“There’s a transcript of the call in which Morgan McSweeney gives his name, his date of birth, the details of the phone and the police confirm that it was reported.

“Unfortunately, there are thefts like this. It was stolen. It was reported at the time and the police have acknowledged and confirmed that that is what happened.”

The PM added: “The idea that somehow everybody could have seen that sometime in the future there would be a request for the phone is, to my mind, a little bit far-fetched.”