Sir Keir Starmer has said he “of course” retains full confidence in his under-pressure chief of staff Morgan McSweeney after being “assured that no briefing against ministers was done from No 10”.The Prime Minister vowed to “absolutely deal with anybody responsible” for the briefing war that erupted at the top of the Labour Government.
00:00First, let me be absolutely clear that any briefing against Ministers is completely unacceptable.
00:07That's not a new position for me, it's a position I've adopted ever since I became Prime Minister
00:12and I've made it very, very clear to my team.
00:14I've been talking to my team today, I've been assured that no briefing against Ministers was done from number 10
00:21but I've made it clear that I find it absolutely unacceptable and if it transpires...
00:28You're saying it didn't come from Downing Street, don't you?
00:30I've been assured it didn't come from Downing Street but I'd be equally clear that whether it's this case or any other, I intend to deal with it.
00:37If it didn't come from Downing Street, where did it come from?
00:41Well, I will absolutely deal with anybody responsible for briefing against Ministers, Cabinet Ministers or other Ministers.
00:49I've always said that's the standard that I expect and that's the standard that I will enforce.
00:55There's a lot of anxiety in your party about the budget and the local elections in May.
00:59Do you accept that they need to go well for you to retain the confidence of your party and the country?
01:04What I accept is that we were elected on a manifesto of change and we have to deliver change.
01:11That's why I'm really pleased to be here in North Wales with this announcement today because previous governments have come in relation to the nuclear project here with a promise that something might happen in a year or two or three.
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