How To Win An Election How To Plot Against A Prime Minister
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Nov 13, 2025 Sally Morgan, a former senior political adviser at Downing Street, teams up with Danny Finkelstein, a Conservative peer and political commentator, to explore the complexities of political plotting. They dive into Keir Starmer's challenges as a leader and how Downing Street's briefing strategy might backfire. The duo compares historic leadership challenges, discussing infamous plots against Tony Blair and the dynamics that allowed them to succeed or fail. Their insightful conversations unveil the intricacies of party management and the pressures that shape political survival.
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Briefings Can Backfire And Create Common Knowledge
- Downing Street briefings intended to shore up Keir Starmer instead made his position appear weaker by emphasising his communication limits.
- Publicly declaring he will not walk away converted private uncertainty into dangerous common knowledge.
From Rumour To Reality: The Risk Of Publicising Threats
- Turning a privately suspected risk into common knowledge amplifies its political danger, making challenges more likely to materialise.
- The briefing intended to deter challengers but risked mobilising them by making the threat public.
Advisers Become Lightning Rods For Party Discontent
- When advisers appear to have clearer views than the leader, MPs grow resentful and advisers become lightning rods for discontent.
- Sacking advisers can be a short-term fix but leaves the leader exposed as the original appointing authority.
