Home Secretary Seeks to Restrict Minister’s Access, Calls for His Sacking
8 reported3 unconfirmed
A rift between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has deepened after it emerged Mahmood wanted to deny Migration Minister Mike Tapp access to sensitive documents without her approval, while also calling for his sacking. The public row escalated on Friday after Tapp wrote an article in the Times expressing his "strong belief" that migrant care workers should not have to wait longer to apply for permanent settlement in the UK, without Mahmood's knowledge. A source close to Mahmood claimed the article was written "to try to win a job in the new administration." Tapp responded defiantly on his X account, stating he would not be "intimidated," but later issued an apology for a "poorly judged tweet" in which he referenced seeing off the Taliban and taking out terrorists. Downing Street said Tapp remained a minister but that Starmer was taking advice on whether he broke the ministerial code on collective responsibility. A Home Office source accused Tapp of breaching collective responsibility and threatening to leak sensitive documents, though he will still be able to attend departmental meetings and access Home Office documents. The prime minister's official spokesperson said Starmer was "taking advice in the usual way" and that it was ultimately up to him to determine if the code was breached.
What’s reported
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood sought to deny Migration Minister Mike Tapp access to sensitive documents without her approval and called for him to be sacked.
Tapp wrote an article in the Times stating his "strong belief" that migrant care workers should not have to wait longer to apply for permanent settlement, without Mahmood's knowledge.
A source close to Mahmood claimed the article was written "to try to win a job in the new administration."
Tapp posted on X: "The attempted intimidation is quite a sight. I've seen off the Taliban and taken out terrorists. Country first, always," but later deleted the tweet and apologized.
Downing Street said Tapp remained a minister and that Starmer was taking advice on whether he broke the ministerial code.
A Home Office source accused Tapp of breaching collective responsibility and threatening to leak sensitive documents.
Tapp will still be able to attend departmental meetings and access Home Office documents.
The prime minister's official spokesperson said it was ultimately up to Starmer to determine if the code was breached.
Open questions
Whether Tapp's actions will be considered a breach of the ministerial code.
What specific sensitive documents Tapp might have threatened to leak.
The outcome of Starmer's advice-taking process.
Key figures
Keir Starmer, Prime Minister
Shabana Mahmood, Home Secretary
Mike Tapp, Migration Minister
Jake Richards, Justice Minister
Sir Laurie Magnus, prime minister's independent adviser on ministerial standards
Sources: The Guardian
