The State of It Angela Rayner's next move and Morgan McSweeney's missing messages
Mar 24, 2026
They unpack a missing-phone scandal and the implications of lost messages for high-profile political files. They trace manoeuvring within Labour as a senior figure appears to prepare a leadership challenge. They debate Britain’s limited options in the Strait of Hormuz and the tradeoffs between defence spending and domestic aid. They map rivalries, donor ties and the timing risks of messy disclosures before elections.
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Starmer Gains From Legalistic, Steady Response
- Keir Starmer is benefiting politically from the Iran crisis by projecting steady, legalistic leadership.
- His Liaison Committee performance was framed as a Hugh Grant moment, boosting personal polling and Number 10 confidence.
Conflict Likely To Outlast Initial Six Week Hopes
- The government now expects the Iran conflict to last far longer than initial six-week estimates, increasing economic pressure.
- Prolonged conflict raises household energy, petrol and supermarket costs and forces ministers to plan targeted bailouts rather than universal support.
Aid Cut Proposal Rejected To Protect Labour's Moral Base
- Starmer considered using cuts to the international aid budget to free cash for defence, but pushback preserved the planned 0.3% aid allocation.
- The episode shows Starmer balancing fiscal choices against Labour's moral and donor constituencies.