McSweeney: the man who made Starmer and his ties to Mandelson

McSweeney: the man who made Starmer and his ties to Mandelson

Author: Pod Save the UK February 12, 2026 Duration: 55:16

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s cabinet circles the wagons as he survives another hellish week in office. One that saw the loss of his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, and his director of communications, Tim Allan, as the scandal over Peter Mandelson's ties to sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein rages on. 

Nish and Coco are joined by Paul Holden, the “unofficial biographer” of Morgan McSweeney, to discuss his key role in the rise of Keir Starmer to power and his close relationship with Mandelson. Plus - reports that Labour Together hired a PR firm to investigate Paul and others looking into its funding under McSweeney.

Also, comedian Stuart Goldsmith on the serious business of being funny about climate change and why it goes all the way to the top of British intelligence.

CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS 

AURA FRAMES
https://www.auraframes.com Code: PSTUK

WISE
https://www.wise.com

GUESTS 

Paul Holden, Investigative Journalist and author of The Fraud
Stuart Goldsmith, Climate Comedian

USEFUL LINKS

The Fraud: Keir Starmer, Morgan McSweeney, and the Crisis of British Democracy
https://orbooks.com/catalog/the-fraud/

Stuart Goldsmith
www.stuartgoldsmith.com

CREDITS

Sky News / YouTube
Sky News / YouTube
GOP Oversight / YouTube
Sky News Australia / YouTube

Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.
Get in touch - contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlistening.co.uk
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheuk


The political landscape in Britain is often dissected from within the Westminster bubble, but Pod Save the UK offers a different kind of conversation. This podcast cuts through the noise of the daily headlines with a blend of sharp analysis and relatable frustration, asking the bigger questions about power, policy, and what it all means for people across the country. The hosts, seasoned in activism and political commentary, break down the week’s events without relying on insider jargon or dry parliamentary procedure. You’ll hear discussions that connect government decisions to everyday life, exploring the real-world impact of legislation and the forces shaping national debates. It’s a space for understanding the mechanics of British politics while challenging the status quo, always with an eye on how to build a more equitable future. For anyone feeling adrift in the constant churn of news cycles, this series provides clarity and a sense of shared perspective, making complex issues accessible and engaging. Tune in for a candid, often witty, and consistently insightful take on the state of the nation, where the focus is on substance over spin and holding power to account.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Pod Save the UK
Podcast Episodes
Who gets the power? Devolution and the General Election. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:43
It’s been a horrendous campaign for the Conservatives so far, careening from disaster to catastrophe, but the Tories don't have the exclusive on political drama. This week Nish and Coco focus on the action in the devolve…
Manifesto deep-dive: Is Labour’s at all progressive? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:03
Following a week of political manifestoes dropping from UK parties - Nish & Coco take a deep-dive investigation to see how they hold up against one another. With a focus on manifestoes that have left-wing approaches - th…
Generational Warfare: Has Rishi Sunak’s electoral gambit misfired? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:05
It’s week one of the campaign and after a comical series of false starts, Rishi Sunak and the Tories have fired the first shots in a campaign of generational warfare. Nish and Coco are joined by political correspondent L…
What do the Trans & Non-binary community need most right now? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:48
Nish and Coco are joined by Abigail Thorn (actress, writer and host of PhilosophyTube) and Freddy McConnell (writer and journalist) to examine the issues facing the trans and non-binary community in the UK today. In rece…
Are these the last six weeks of Rishi Sunak and the Tories? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:02
Nish and Coco bring you a hot off-the-press special look at the announcement of a UK general election. On Wednesday 22nd May - Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the next general election will be on Thursday 4th July 2…

«1...678910