Kmflett's Blog

This is the story of Morgan McSweeney. The man who tried to fix the space where Starmer’s worldview was supposed to be.

Reading extracts from a new book by Patrick Maguire and Gabriel Pogrund about Labour’s July 2024 Election victory, Get In, (Times 2-4th February 2025) I was struck by a reported view of Tony Blair that Starmer’s politics didn’t really come from anywhere except they were ‘vaguely progressive’.

Former Editor of the New Statesman Jason Cowley wrote in the Sunday Times (8^th February 2026) that Starmer has the politics of a pre-woke, London liberal left, anti-apartheid, Amnesty International and the Guardian as it was in the 1980s. Cowley, who has the ear of Lord Blue Labour Glasman, claims this world has gone and this is a key problem for Starmer.

The book’s partly unevidenced ripping yarns, are entertaining and like much that would be found in an old style paper diary column, having enough of the truth about them to be possibly true, don’t really get to the root of the Starmer enigma.

Jason Cowley reviewed the book in the Sunday Times (9th Feb 2025) and suggested that the core of it is the Morgan McSweeney story. McSweeney provided the political organisation Starmer lacked. A note of caution, which wasn’t sounded in the media, is that McSweeney was the manager of Liz Kendall’s bid for the Labour leadership where she got 4.5%. In respect of the July 2024 Election it might be speculated that Labour would have won without McSweeney’s strategy, given how hated the Tories were, but perhaps not as big

The book does at least underline an already existing view that Starmer is much more a professional lawyer than a politician and in particular someone with a lack of political sensibility.

McSweeney’s ideas, or lack of them, made him a standard Labour right-winger. The Labour right has been bereft of ideas on how to change the world for the better or even make sure it doesn’t get worse since at least the 2008 financial crash. That was a key reason why Jeremy Corbyn had the appeal he had, he did some have ideas.

In place of Starmer’s (possible) 1980s North London worldview came McSweeney’s organisational fixing (advised as Get In reports by Peter Mandelson). That is Labour Together and the late reported donations, the construction of an anti-Semitism crisis in Labour aimed at the left, and more recently allegedly the fixing of who was and was not a Labour candidate in July 2024.

The fix has unravelled, is another project possible? Or is the future of left politics, electoral and beyond, now outside of Labour?

Your Party has to an extent unravelled and Andy Burnham is on the slow train from Manchester. Meanwhile the Green Party, a reformist but not a socialist party, has well over 200,000 members. And Morgan McSweeney has disappeared along with his work phone only to reappear still with his beard at a Commons Committee on 28th April

Interesting times but hopefully not so interesting as to send Farage to a pub near Downing St (Red Lion). Stopping that will need not the fixing of McSweeney but actual organisation and mobilisation of anti-racists.

The Ambridge Socialist

8^th February

Exclusive. David Archer in the frame for the attack on George Grundy

Our thanks to Ambridge Socialist Editorial Advisor Hazel Potter for the story that David Archer, previously not mentioned, is in the frame for the attack on George Grundy on New Year’s Eve. Archer has no alibi as he was setting up fireworks on the village green and he has form. He was there when Nigel Pargetter fell to his death from the roof of Lower Loxley and he is a notorious badger murdere often a sign that the violence might extend to humans too.

Needless to say the BBC has not reported the story but the attitude of Ruth and David to George getting work with Esme has underlined their disdainful attitude to the Ambridge proletariat.

Pip & Stella: a different form of Matriarchy is in prospect for the Archers Dynasty

With the news that Pip and Stella are engaged to be married a very different future for the Archers Dynasty has come into view than that promoted by the late Peggy whose memorial artwork was unveiled last week. A more progressive future for the Archers may beckon except of course that material being determines consciousness

Archers Dynasty as it actually exists

George has started working for Esme while she gets on with her professional interwebs based job. Josh Archer has been hanging around making snide comments a reflection of the long running class struggle between the Archers and the Grundys… However Josh has now been despatched to sort out his hens at least for a few weeks.

Valentines

Valentines weekend at the Bull seems to be promoting general banter between Daveed, Roooth and Kenton and btw there don’t appear to be veggie or vegan options on the menu. Meanwhile George and Amber have paid a visit to her parents for a chat and a meal. However when Bill mentioned broccoli they had to leave

Clarrie Update

Susan has tried to recruit Clarrie back to the dairy but she has declined citing arthritis and the fact that she can pick up Poppy from school on occasion. Apparently Clarrie has become a Swifty as a result of listening to Poppy’s music. A relatively rare moment of popular culture in the Archers.

Andrew Windsor as trade & investment envoy 2001-2011. His demands & who he called

Blair and Mandelson appointed Prince Andrew as a trade envoy in 2001 against the advice of the then Prince Charles who warned that he would just use the role as an opportunity to play golf and chase women.

The now King was close to the mark.

Newly released documents from the Epstein files reveal that Windsor accompanied the late Queen, Prince Philip and then Foreign Secretary William Hague on a State visit to the UAE in November 2010. Epstein and Windsor had e-mail exchanges about a meeting between the trafficker and the UAE Foreign Secretary which appears to have taken place on November 24^th 2010. Epstein had told Windsor to inform him that he could offer financial expertise and ‘fun’

Andrew Lownie who has written a book on Andrew and Sarah Ferguson notes a list of demands Andrew had when meeting the Sultan in Brunei

Water at room temperature

Weetabix for a breakfast

Subjects that must not be mentioned

The Royal Family

Golf

A Preference for blondes

Streeting campaigning with Mandelson at the 2015 General Election

The centrality of Peter Mandelson to New Labour & New New Labour

Peter Mandelson was the star speaker at an event to mark 25 years of New Labour in 2022 and remained, until his resignation from the Labour Party on 1st February 2026, central to the New New Labour project as well. A catalogue of errors (and some achievements after 1997 and before the Iraq debacle).

The below appeared on the Politico site (2^nd May 2022) and while I’m doubtful about using single source references it is anyway entertaining even if perhaps not entirely accurate (it may not report all who were there for example).

It was held on a Sunday in a Wetherspoons in Chancery Lane, which is normally closed at weekends (the area is very quiet at that time). There was an irony in one of Tim Martin’s pubs hosting such an event but at least David Miliband who apparently picked up the bar bill won’t have been much out of pocket.

A pub is an odd place to hold an inclusive event in the 2020s (not that most pubs don’t welcome all but some have religious, cultural and personal reasons for swerving places that sell alcohol) but it was marking an event in 1997 when things were perhaps seen differently.

I’m not an expert on the factions of New Labour but it does appear to be the Blairite core (as opposed to Brownites) and some of its more recent successors and enforcers. There are a couple of people who were at one point in some way associated with the left- Byers and Milburn- before they became New Labourised.

Anyway one hopes that at least some of them are at work on their memoirs so future historians can ponder what it was they thought they were doing and what the actual results were.

SPOTTED: At Labour’s 25 Years since 1997 celebrations at the Knight Templar Pub on Chancery Lane last night … Speeches by Peter Mandelson … Cherie Blair and Nicky Blair … Nicky read Tony’s message “we knew how to have fun” … Mandy hailed “the best team that ever came together for politics” and chanted: “Viva New Labour” … Pat and Marianna McFadden were first on the dance floor to “Things Can Only Get Better” … Closely followed by Roy and Alicia Kennedy … Stella Creasy and Dan Fox … David Evans and Aline Delawa … Stephen Byers … Alan Milburn … Hilary Armstrong … Organizers Jo Gibbons, Julie McAndrew, Adrian McMenamin … Sam White from LOTO … Ex-Labour advisers: Steve Bates, Razi Rahman, Faz Hakim, John Lehal, Iain McNichol, Andy Bagnall, Jo Milligan, Martin Angus, John Watts … David Miliband paid for the drinks … Wes Streeting and Peter Kyle from the Shadow Cabinet … plus Keir Starmer comms chief Matt Doyle fresh from the Blair PPB.

The Executive Chair of pub group Fullers Simon Emeny has backed Reform’s plan for pubs in an interview with the Daily Telegraph (7th February)

Nigel Farage and Lee Anderson announced the plan on Monday. It involved tax reductions paid for by re-imposing the two-child benefit cap.

Anderson was quite unable to explain or justify the dodgy financials behind the plan in an interview with the Today programme on Radio 4.

Emeny claims Labour is not doing enough for pubs and Tory plans are not much better. While more could and should be done to help pubs (pub companies are another if related matter-Fullers is currently turning a decent profit)backing a party with the divisive policies of Reform sends an interesting message to customers and employees of Fullers pubs.

While I don’t usually enthuse over global beer companies perhaps its just as well that Fullers beers are now brewed by Asahi and global big beer rarely involves itself directly with the politics of the countries it operates in, having a better understanding perhaps of what is and is not good for business.

Pictures, The Times 7th February 2026

Three Labour leaders are missing who had little or nothing to do with Mandelson

John Smith

Ed Miliband

Jeremy Corbyn

Beard Liberation Front

7th February

Contact: Keith Flett @keithbeard.bsky.social

My Hairy Valentine 2026 launches with dual focus

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has launched its annual search for My Hairy Valentine ahead of Valentine’s Day on 14th February.

In 2025 it again includes two categories:

1 Beards that are sexy, allowing for the reality that this is in the eye of the beholder

2 Beards that are loved because they add a reassuring presence to public life and should be celebrated.

There will be a round covering each category with the winners of both contests sharing the title in 2026

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, we know that not all beards are sexy, think Morgan McSweeney, but at Valentine’s each year we celebrate those that are.

Voting for Beards that are ‘sexy’ will open shortly.

Beards that are sexy

Tom Jones, singer

Idris Elba, actor

Mikel Arteta, football manager

Zack Polanski, Green Party leader

Beards that are loved

Ricky Tomlinson

Michael Rosen

Lenny Henry

Jeremy Corbyn

Beard Liberation Front

9th February

Contact BLF Organiser Keith Flett 07803 167266

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that it is has found that the activities of Downing St Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney have brought the hirsute into disrepute.

McSweeney has stated that he is implicated in the inadequate vetting of Peter Mandelson for the post of Ambassador to the US but he also has a long history of factional activity in Labour and labour movement politics.

The campaigners say that an investigation has reviewed whether the BLF should act to prevent any association between the network and McSweeney and come to the conclusion that he will not be welcome as a supporter for the foreseeable future

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, Our investigation focused on the reality that McSweeney did not originally have a beard as a political activist but grew one at some point as he became central to Starmer Labour’s campaigning. We now believe that he did this deliberately to bring the hirsute into disrepute.

BEARDS OF THE SIX NATIONS BRISTLE AGAIN

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that with what seems set to be the most hirsute Six Nations Rugby Championship ever underway, the Beard of the Six Nations poll will be reset for 2026

Beards were until quite recently a rarity in the Six Nations. In 2026 it is more of a rarity for players to be clean shaven.

The campaigners say that the Beard of the Six Nations is not just about beards in the abstract but also crucially about the impact they make on play.

This impact of beards on the field has meant that even noted pogonophobes such as Clive Woodward who argued in 2013 on the BBC that he wouldn’t select players with beards, are now marginal voices.

The Beard Liberation Front’s long campaign against the Woodward’s of the rugby world has achieved considerable success so much so that in 2026 there are too many hirsute players to run a weekly poll.

Rather the a one-off Best Beard of the Six Nations will take place on the final Saturday of the Championship 14th March. This will focus on the beards that have made the most impact across the five rounds

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, our panel of beard experts will be reviewing the play in each match but ultimately it’s not only the best beards, but the best beards that have the most impact on play that we’re looking for

People are so pleased that Mandelson has gone; it’s just like a release from prison

Tony Benn, Diary 12th January 1999

Mandelson borrowed £373,000 from another Minister Geoffrey Robinson to buy a Notting Hill house but didn’t declare the loan in the register of interests, a breach of Parliamentary ethics. Both Ministers resigned on 23^rd December 1998.