Morgan McSweeney urged officials to streamline the accumulated conventions and formally codify the prime minister's executive powers in writing. He noted that existing rules isolate cabinet members during major determinations, such as planning applications or energy field approvals, from broader cabinet oversight. McSweeney also admitted that the Labour administration was inadequately prepared upon entering office to deliver reforms quickly amid global volatility.
Key points
Restricting prime ministerial input on quasi-judicial matters prevents the government fro…: Restricting prime ministerial input on quasi-judicial matters prevents the government from acting with the speed required by its mandate.
Excessive conventions and unwritten rules create procedural obstacles that endanger democ…: Excessive conventions and unwritten rules create procedural obstacles that endanger democracy by causing elected administrations to fail to deliver.
Formally codifying prime ministerial authority in writing would help clear away the thick…: Formally codifying prime ministerial authority in writing would help clear away the thicket of restrictions hindering executive governance.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, has called for a rethink of “quasi-judicial” powers given to cabinet ministers such as the energy secretary’s ability to approve future oil and gas fields.
McSweeney, who helped propel Starmer to power and served as his chief of staff until February this year, said he believed “quasi-judicial processes” were stopping wider cabinet discussions and input from the prime minister on issues of national importance.
He did not give specific examples, but one of the key quasi-judicial decisions under Starmer included Ed Miliband’s role in determining the future of the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields, which were subsequently put in the hands of his successor as energy secretary, Miatta Fahnbulleh.
The then housing and local government secretary, Steve Reed, also had the power to decide whether to give the go-ahead to a new Chinese super-embassy in east London.
Speaking to the House of Lords constitution committee, McSweeney said the quasi-judical processes were obstructing government work. He also called for the “thicket of rules” about how the prime minister operates to be…
Recent electoral breakthroughs mark a notable transformation in how the American electorate receives left-wing political movements. Historian Jill Lepore observed that the Democratic Socialists of America has moved past previous marginalization to become an accepted part of the national discourse. This shift underscores a broader resurgence of socialist politics gaining traction across the United States.
Wednesday's nationwide walkout shuttered major urban retail centers and halted industrial output, with union leaders projecting up to 5 million participants by day's end. The demonstrations arrive three weeks ahead of a snap election as Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez tries to pivot voter focus toward soaring living costs. Escalating living pressures have left average monthly rents consuming nearly the entire wage of a young worker.
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