Starmer Defends Morgan McSweeney After Labour MP Accuses Him Of Faking Phone Theft

Downing Street chief of staff Morgan McSweeney.

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.