Calling McSweeney's stolen phone story 'extremely fishy' is not a conspiracy, Badenoch says

Kemi Badenoch has told Sky News the row over reported missing messages from Morgan McSweeney's stolen phone is "extremely fishy" and calling it so is not a conspiracy.

Sir Keir Starmer's former chief of staff had his work phone stolen last autumn, leading to the government saying it may be unable to publish all his messages with sacked US ambassador Peter Mandelson.

Mr McSweeney, who was key in getting Lord Mandelson's role approved, did not tell police he was the PM's chief of staff and also gave them an incorrect road name, the transcript of his 999 call released by the Met Police has revealed.

The government has promised to release correspondence relating to Lord Mandelson's appointment after he was sacked last September over his relationship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, and the fact those message are missing has prompted suggestions it was not just a mistake.

Ms Badenoch told Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips it was "extremely fishy" and called on Mr McSweeney to come to parliament and give 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 tell the police who he was - that is extremely fishy."

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

"Why is it that when they knew we were going to be asking for documents and all the messages that 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 Mr McSweeney's account of the theft could be untrue and the government is covering it up.

"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 everybody could have seen that some time in the future there'd be a request for the phone is, to my mind, a little bit far-fetched."

(c) Sky News 2026: Calling McSweeney's stolen phone story 'extremely fishy' is not a conspiracy, Badenoch says