Pod Save the UK McSweeney: the man who made Starmer and his ties to Mandelson
19 snips
Feb 12, 2026 Paul Holden, investigative journalist and author of The Fraud, reveals how Morgan McSweeney rose through Labour and shaped Keir Starmer’s inner circle. He maps McSweeney’s ties to Peter Mandelson, Labour Together’s donor controversies, alleged PR investigations into reporters, and how influence was entrenched across the party. Short, sharp discussion of resignations, vetting failures and the political fallout.
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Undeclared Donations And Weak Enforcement
- Labour Together failed to declare roughly £730,000 in donations and received only a small fine from the Electoral Commission.
- Paul Holden says documentary evidence suggests the omissions were deliberate, not mere administrative oversight.
Targeting Journalists Through Security Allegations
- Paul Holden reports Labour Together even reported him to the National Cyber Security Centre as a suspected state-hacked journalist.
- He describes feeling terrified and furious at the reckless allegation aimed to discredit investigation.
Shadowing As Political Methodology
- Holden argues McSweeney lacks a deep ideology but follows a repeatable methodology of 'shadowing' opponents and remaking party structures.
- That methodology allowed allies to capture party bureaucracy and select loyal MPs, embedding the project across Labour.
