Kemi Badenoch told Sky News that the controversy over missing messages from Morgan McSweeney’s stolen phone is “highly suspicious” and says there is no conspiracy.
The office phone of Sir Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff was stolen last autumn, prompting the government to say it may be unable to publish all his messages with the sacked US ambassador. peter mandelson.
Mr McSweeney, who was key in getting Lord Mandelson approved for the role, did not tell police he was the PM’s chief of staff and even gave them the wrong name of a street, the transcript of his 999 call released by the Met Police revealed.
The government has promised to release correspondence relating to Lord Mandelson’s appointment after he was sacked last September over links to pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, and the fact that those messages are missing has suggested it was not just a mistake.
Ms. Badenoch said sunday morning with trevor phillips This was “deeply messed up” and Mr McSweeney was asked to come to Parliament and explain.
She said: “Why didn’t he tell the police he was the Prime Minister’s chief of staff?
“This is a government phone. The Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff.”
“What if Iran had stolen that phone? What if Russia or China had stolen it? The Chief of Staff didn’t tell the police who it was – that’s extremely messed up.”
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She said she did not know whether Mr McSweeney was lying, but added: “The whole situation is bad.
“Why is it that when he knew we were going to ask for the documents and all the messages he sent, his phone mysteriously disappeared and he didn’t tell the police who it was at that time. This is extremely messed up. I stand by this.
“This is not a conspiracy theory. Questions need to be answered and he should come to Parliament and explain what happened.”
Sir Keir earlier this week rejected speculation that Mr McSweeney’s account of the theft could be false and the Government was covering up it.
“Unfortunately, these types of thefts are happening,” he said.
“It was stolen. It was reported at the time, the police acknowledged and confirmed it. That’s what happened.”
“The idea that somehow everyone could have seen that there would be a request for a phone call at some point in the future is, in my view, a little far-fetched.”
