Angela Rayner’s embattled head of communications, Jack McKenna, has finally resigned after a prolonged period in political Siberia. The party launched an investigation – officially over a “personal data breach”* – last year, with Guido first breaking the news that he’d gone on leave last December. His temporary departure came after a week in which he’d been accused of heavily briefing against Starmer during his botched reshuffle. Labour denied he’d been forcibly sent on leave, something it later transpired wasn’t true.
A Labour spokesperson said:
“Jack McKenna, Head of Communications and Events to Labour’s Deputy Leader Angela Rayner, has decided to leave the Labour Party to pursue new opportunities outside of politics. Keir and Angela would like to thank Jack for his hard work and dedicated service to the Labour Party and wish him well for the future.”
The spokesperson also says McKenna leaves the party “a clean record and without any disciplinary action against him.”
McKenna himself says “I’m terrible at goodbyes but I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who I have worked with over the last 7 years. It has certainly been a wild ride of ~sackings~ promotions, Labour North West receptions and letters to Lord Geidt. Oh and 5 Prime Ministers and the longest job title in the history of British politics.”
Au revoir…
*They accused him of leaking information about someone’s employment status, then leaked McKenna’s own suspension to the Sunday Times before telling him…
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Angela Rayner just can’t seem to catch a break this week: no sooner is her team totally “blindsided” by another Labour reshuffle she wasn’t consulted on, and snubbed by Sir Keir’s lobby Christmas drinks, Guido hears her chief spinner has chosen this moment to go on leave. Jack McKenna’s apparently taking a few days off to rest after a tumultuous few months, from scum-gate, to threats made against Rayner, and the past month of worsening tensions with the LOTO. Speculation that this is an enforced time-out has been officially denied…
While Guido initially heard more explosive rumours about Jack’s position, rumours he’d been suspended were emphatically denied. McKenna is undoubtedly entitled to a holiday, although Guido does spot his Twitter account was also made private today…
Guido can reveal a few changes to the Corbynista backroom operation. We remember when David Lammy’s Director of Communications Jack McKenna was a moderate, but he is now heading to the Leader’s Office to join their spin team. McKenna was employee of the month recently when he dug out this killer Theresa May Question Time clip. David Prescott is becoming Jezza’s press and events manager. Angie Williams is leaving her job as a press officer in LOTO. Rumours are swirling today that Corbyn’s commie aide Andrew Murray has fallen out with Seumas Milne and Karie Murphy. Unite are denying that Murray is set to quit…
Meanwhile, John McDonnell is seeking a new spokesman after some trouble at Mills. His current spinner, the universally popular Lobby favourite James Mills, is now focusing on comms for rest of the Shadow Treasury team. There is speculation that McDonnell’s policy chief James Meadway is also being sidelined. One to watch…
