McSweeney resigns as Starmer chief of staff amid Mandelson controversy

Morgan McSweeney resigned as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s chief of workers on Sunday, stepping down amid mounting criticism over his position in advising the appointment of Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the USA.

In a resignation assertion obtained by The GuardianMcSweeney stated the choice to nominate Mandelson was “unsuitable” and accepted full duty for recommending it, calling his departure the “solely honorable plan of action” within the circumstances.

“He [Mandelson] has broken our occasion, our nation and confidence in politics itself,” the previous chief of workers wrote, noting that the choice to resign was not a straightforward one.

McSweeney stated the controversy had broken public confidence and referred to as for a elementary overhaul of the federal government’s vetting and due diligence course of, whereas pledging his continued assist for Starmer and the Labor authorities’s agenda.

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Downing Avenue Chief of Employees Morgan McSweeney arrives for the annual Lord Mayor’s Banquet at Guildhall in London on December 1, 2025. (Chris J. Ratcliffe/Reuters)

Emails and paperwork made public by the Justice Division in January present that Mandelson maintained contact with Jeffrey Epstein after his 2008 conviction on two felony counts of soliciting prostitution, one in every of which concerned a minor.

This is reported by the Associated Press that newly surfaced paperwork point out that Mandelson might have handed delicate authorities data to Epstein within the interval following the 2008 world monetary disaster.

The outlet additionally cited paperwork and monetary data displaying that Epstein had transferred a complete of $75,000 to accounts linked to Mandelson or his husband, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, in 2003 and 2004.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, proper, talks with British Ambassador to the USA Peter Mandelson throughout a welcome reception on the ambassador’s residence in Washington, February 26, 2025. (Carl Courtroom/Pool picture by way of AP)

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Secretary of State Stephen Doughty told the Home of Commons on September 11 that Starmer requested him to withdraw Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to the USA after emails revealed that Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein was “materially totally different” from what was recognized on the time of his appointment.

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“Particularly, Lord Mandelson’s suggestion that Jeffrey Epstein’s first conviction was wrongful and must be challenged is new data,” Doughty stated. “In gentle of this and conscious, as all of us are, of the victims of Epstein’s abhorrent crimes, Lord Mandelson has withdrawn as ambassador with rapid impact.”

Mandelson resigned from the Labor Occasion on February 1.