On Saturday evening, Sunday Times journalist Gabriel Pogrund tweeted that sources close to the Labour leader, Keir Starmer, are said to be “very upset” by negative briefings coming from the shadow cabinet. These briefings are apparently directed towards Jenny Chapman, Starmer's political secretary.
Source close to Starmer says he has personally been "very upset" by negative briefings about Jenny Chapman, his political secretary.
— Gabriel Pogrund (@Gabriel_Pogrund) May 8, 2021
They say he has already indicated as much at shadow cabinet.
Ally of Rayner says she has "no" relationship with Chapman but is denying briefing.
Perhaps the Sunday Times knows something that the rest of the world does not, because later on Saturday evening, Sunday Times political editor Tim Shipman reportedly tweeted that “Labour source claims that Jenny Chapman has been banned from Keir Starmer’s house on the orders of Starmer’s wife. The plot thickens”.
What's happened to this, Tim? pic.twitter.com/phTFBXb0o3
— Kieran Starchild (@TheKieranMc1) May 8, 2021
SCREENSHOT:
The tweet has since been deleted, but there are several screenshots available on Twitter.
So Tim Shipman just tweeted and deleted this... pic.twitter.com/GCyWBXadNQ
— Moya Lothian-Mclean (@mlothianmclean) May 8, 2021
WHAT DO THE HACKS KNOW pic.twitter.com/lareo7XZX1
— Moya Lothian-Mclean (@mlothianmclean) May 8, 2021
If the tweet is indeed genuine, then there will be questions asked that need answers, such as why would Keir Starmer’s wife ban Jenny Chapman from the Labour leader’s family home, and why would a journalist such as Shipman tweet this and then subsequently delete it.
Later, Shipman then tweeted this strange message without further context: “Defend Jenny Chapman at all costs! That must be the main goal, I tell you. Who is this woman? What has she got on Starmer? A failed red wall MP who has shown no evidence she has any understanding of politics”.
Defend Jenny Chapman at all costs! That must be the main goal, I tell you. Who is this woman? What has she got on Starmer? A failed red wall MP who has shown no evidence she has any understanding of politics https://t.co/9st6H9UWfg
— Tim Shipman (@ShippersUnbound) May 8, 2021
Shipman's tweet was a response to Patrick Maguire’s original tweet which read “Shadow cabinet source on sackings to come: "People engaging in sustained briefing against staff who can’t defend themselves should be looking over their shoulders."
Shadow cabinet source on sackings to come: "People engaging in sustained briefing against staff who can’t defend themselves should be looking over their shoulders."👀
— Patrick Maguire (@patrickkmaguire) May 8, 2021
Maguire is of course the Times’ Red Box editor, adding further suggestion that the Times and its sister paper, the Sunday Times, may well have a scoop they are teasing, but nothing is certain at this point.
UPDATE: Shipman has since posted a statement regarding his tweet:
A personal statement: pic.twitter.com/bNyetI043X
— Tim Shipman (@ShippersUnbound) May 19, 2021
(Writing by Michael O’Sullivan, editing by Tom D. Rogers)