The Labour grandee told LBC's Tonight with Andrew Marr that it was "ludicrous" for anyone to believe that they could find a better leader than Sir Keir Starmer
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Former Home Secretary Alan Johnson believes that the Prime Minister is ending the week "much more strongly than he began” and “he looks like a man revitalised at the moment".
The Labour grandee told LBC's Tonight with Andrew Marr that it was "ludicrous" for anyone to believe that they could find a better leader than Sir Keir Starmer, after the Prime Minister's position looked like it was hanging on by a thread earlier in the week.
The Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, called for Sir Keir to step aside as PM on Monday, insisting "change" is needed in Downing Street as he continued to face down the fallout from appointing Peter Mandelson as US ambassador.
Downing Street insisted that Starmer would not quit in the wake of Mr Sarwar's calls, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy standing by the PM.
Mr Johnson told Mr Marr: "I thought that it was ludicrous for anyone in the Labour Party to believe that they could produce a better leader than Keir Starmer.
"Quite frankly, I thought it was mad to even contemplate it, but then, in the end, so did they. I think Anas Sarwar in a strange way, did Keir Starmer a favour.
"I think he ends the week much more strongly than he began."
Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald – who is also head of the Civil Service – announced his departure in a statement on Thursday.
It follows a string of Downing Street resignations, including two of Starmer's top officials – Downing Street Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney on Sunday, and executive director of communications Tim Allan on Monday.
The departures come after emails contained within the Epstein files suggested that Mandelson may have passed on confidential information to the disgraced financier.
Mr Johnson went on to say that he believes Sir Wormald's role was "too much" for him.
"I knew Chris very well, and he was Permanent Secretary in Education when I was there, and I had a lot of time for him, but I think that role was kind of too much for him.
"That was a crucial position coming back into power after so long in opposition."