Labour says Starmer's 2020 leadership campaign paid McSweeney salary

"Labour has clarified that Morgan McSweeney's salary was paid by Keir Starmer's leadership campaign in 2020, after fresh attacks from the Conservatives on Wednesday. The Tories have called for a parliamentary investigation into whether Starmer failed to declare support including staffing costs from the campaign group Labour Together for his leadership campaign. Between 2017 and 2020 McSweeney was director of Labour Together, which began as a vehicle to prevent the Labour party from splitting under Jeremy Corbyn."

"After Corbyn's resignation in January 2020, McSweeney ran Starmer's campaign to become Labour leader. Companies House records state that McSweeney remained director of Labour Together until April 2020, when Starmer won the leadership contest. At that point McSweeney became a senior aide to Starmer, first in opposition and then in government. Kevin Hollinrake, chair of the Conservative party, said McSweeney's role in Starmer's campaign should have been declared as a donation from Labour Together in the parliamentary register and called for an investigation."

"Donations or support in kind to MPs from members' associations must be declared yet nothing to see here Keir' completely failed to do so, Hollinrake said. But the Labour party said that McSweeney's salary was paid by Starmer's campaign for the duration that he worked for it, and therefore his participation did not need to be declared as a donation. A Labour source said: Morgan's salary was paid for by Keir's leadership campaign for the duration of the campaign, not Labour Together."

Labour clarified that Morgan McSweeney's salary was paid by Keir Starmer's leadership campaign in 2020. Conservatives called for a parliamentary investigation into whether Starmer failed to declare support, including staffing costs, from campaign group Labour Together. Between 2017 and April 2020 McSweeney was director of Labour Together, which aimed to prevent a split under Jeremy Corbyn. After Corbyn's January 2020 resignation McSweeney ran Starmer's campaign and became a senior aide once Starmer won the leadership. Labour said no monetary or in-kind donations came from Labour Together to the campaign. The Conservatives have asked the Electoral Commission to probe Labour Together's declarations; the group was fined £14,250 in 2021.

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