Today in Focus Starmer survives – but for how long?
Feb 10, 2026
Severin Carell, a reporter compiling on-the-record interviews across Westminster, and Jessica Elgert, Guardian deputy political editor, unpack a turbulent 24 hours in British politics. They cover high-profile resignations, internal party squabbles, Scottish pressure on leadership, rapid Number 10 staff exits, and the scramble over who might benefit or be damaged by the fallout.
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Starmer's Reliance On Close Aides
- Keir Starmer relies heavily on close aides and has outsourced key policy areas, leaving him less connected to party bases.
- That structural isolation amplifies mistakes and fuels factional anger inside Labour.
McSweeney's Loyal Yet Factional Team
- Morgan McSweeney built a small, loyal inner team and inspired fierce devotion among them.
- He could be softly spoken in private but ruthless and factional towards those he disliked.
Scottish Pressure Driven By Election Calculus
- Anas Sarwar's public call for Starmer to quit was motivated by Scottish electoral survival ahead of Holyrood elections.
- Scottish Labour judged Starmer's problems as an existential threat to their chance of beating the SNP.
