A Labour MP has split from his own party as he demanded “answers” over Morgan McSweeney’s stolen phone.
Downing Street has dismissed the suggestion that the theft of Mr McSweeney’s phone was connected to the parliamentary call for the release of files on Lord Peter Mandelson as “categorically untrue”.
There are concerns messages around Lord Mandelson’s appointment could be lost as a result of the snatching of the phone in London in October 2025.
Now, Karl Turner, the MP for Kingston upon Hull East has taken aim at his own party, giving the former Chief of Staff the nickname of “McSwindle”.
The Labour MP said: “I don’t believe McSwindle had his iPhone stolen. It smacks of the liar Johnson defence of ‘lost all my WhatsApp messages’. We mustn’t take the public for fools.
“I am afraid this smacks of too convenient by far. I won’t do it. I will say what I actually think. And I don’t believe it. End of!”
Speaking to broadcasters this morning, the Prime Minister said: “The phone was stolen. It was reported to the police. There’s a transcript of the call in which Morgan McSweeney gives his name, his date of birth, the details of the phone and the police confirm that it was reported.
“Unfortunately, there are thefts like this. It was stolen. It was reported at the time, the police have acknowledged and confirmed that.
“The idea that somehow everybody could have seen that some time in the future there’d be a request over the phone is, to my mind, a little bit far-fetched.”
A Downing Street spokesman added: “The idea that the theft was connected to the humble address is categorically untrue.
“We’re committed to complying with the humble address in full. All government departments, ministers and relevant individuals been asked to provide all the relevant information they hold in the scope of the humble address.”
