Kemi Badenoch questions “fishy” disappearance of messages from PM aide’s stolen phone

29 March 2026 , 12:14

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Kemi Badenoch questions “fishy” disappearance of messages from PM aide’s stolen phone

Kemi Badenoch has told the media that the controversy over the reportedly missing messages from Morgan McSweeney’s stolen phone is "extremely fishy," and saying so is not a conspiracy.

Sir Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff had his work phone stolen last autumn, causing the government to claim it might be unable to publish all his messages with the dismissed US ambassador Peter Mandelson.

Mr. McSweeney, who was instrumental in getting Lord Mandelson’s role approved, did not inform the police he was the PM’s chief of staff and also provided them with an incorrect road name, according to the transcript of his 999 call released by the Met Police.

The government has pledged to release correspondence related to Lord Mandelson’s appointment after he was fired last September over his connections with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. The fact that those messages are missing has led to suggestions that it might not just be a mistake. 

Ms. Badenoch told Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that it was "extremely fishy" and urged Mr. McSweeney to come to parliament and provide an explanation.

She said: "Why didn’t he tell the police that he was the prime minister’s chief of staff?

"It’s a government phone. The prime minister’s chief of staff.

"What if Iran had stolen that phone? What if Russia or China had stolen that? The chief of staff did not inform the police who he was—that is extremely fishy."

She stated she does not know if Mr. McSweeney is lying, but added: "The whole situation stinks.

"Why is it that when they knew we were going to be asking for documents and all the messages he sent, his phone mysteriously disappeared, and he didn’t tell the police at the time who he was. That is extremely fishy. I stand by that.

"It is not a conspiracy theory. Questions need to be answered, and he should come into parliament and explain what happened."

Sir Keir earlier this week dismissed speculation the government is covering up details of Mr. McSweeney’s account of the theft potentially being untrue.

"Unfortunately, there are thefts like this," he said.

"It was stolen. It was reported at the time, the police have acknowledged and confirmed that. That is what happened.

"The idea that somehow everyone could have foreseen that, at some point in the future, there’d be a request for the phone is, in my view, a little bit far-fetched."

Thomas Brown

Head of Investigations