Where does Wormald sacking leave Sir Keir Starmer?

"The head of the Civil Service Sir Chris Wormald has been pushed out, along with the PM's trusted political aide Morgan McSweeney. His highly experienced communications director Tim Allan has also departed. In the past 18 months no less than four communications directors have headed for the Downing Street exit. But is transplanting staff at the heart of government part of a bigger strategy? Or is it simply a short-term tactical move, a sticking plaster to get the PM through the next news cycle?"

"When Liz Truss briefly took over at Number 10 she got rid of Tom Scholar, the top civil servant at the Treasury. But Truss had inherited Scholar from Boris Johnson and she had, for better or worse, a clear policy agenda. In Sir Keir's case, he is sacking or squeezing out people he initially approved. As an insider said about one of Sir Keir's previous dismissals, the PM is getting good - at clearing up his own mess."

"Dave Penman, head of the FDA union for senior civil servants, told the BBC the "tone and culture" in Number 10 had led to "exasperation" in Whitehall and was "in some ways worse than the Dominic Cummings/Boris Johnson era". That's because people in Whitehall were surprised and disappointed that someone who had led a public body Sir Keir had been in charge of the Crown Prosecution Service before entering politics had not acted in a way significantly differently than the previous adminstration."

Senior behind-the-scenes figures at Number 10 have been removed, including Civil Service head Sir Chris Wormald, political aide Morgan McSweeney, and communications director Tim Allan. Four communications directors have left in the past 18 months. These departures raise questions whether staff changes form a broader strategy or are short-term tactical moves. There is precedent for prime ministers dismissing senior civil servants; Liz Truss removed Treasury permanent secretary Tom Scholar. Sir Keir has been removing people he initially approved, with an insider saying the PM "is getting good - at clearing up his own mess." The FDA says Number 10's "tone and culture" has caused exasperation in Whitehall.

Read at www.bbc.com