UK PM Keir Starmer's Chief of Staff resigns over Peter Mandelson link to Epstein
In a public statement, McSweeney said he had given the Prime Minister flawed advice and accepted "full responsibility" for the appointment. He described the decision as damaging to public trust and to the country's political institutions.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney stepped down on Sunday, accepting responsibility for advising the government to appoint Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the United States, despite his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
McSweeney’s departure follows the release of a tranche of documents by US Justice Department of Justice on January 30 that revealed new details about Epstein’s relationship with Peter Mandelson, who was sacked as envoy in September. The disclosures have triggered a political crisis for the Labour Party's government and intensified scrutiny of Starmer’s judgment.
In a public statement, McSweeney said he had given the Prime Minister flawed advice and accepted "full responsibility" for the appointment. He described the decision as damaging to public trust and to the country’s political institutions.
PRESSURE BUILDS ON KEIR STARMER
The resignation has placed Starmer under renewed pressure at a time when his government is facing criticism over a series of policy reversals.
Opposition figures were quick to blame that McSweeney’s exit did not go far enough. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the Prime Minister must answer for what she called his "terrible decisions". Reform UK leader Nigel Farage suggested that Starmer’s authority was rapidly weakening.
Within the Labour Party, several MPs have questioned whether the loss of such a senior aide will stabilise the government or deepen internal divisions. Some lawmakers have privately argued that the controversy reflects a broader failure of leadership rather than an isolated mistake.
Starmer had publicly defended McSweeney in recent days, praising his service and loyalty. After the resignation, the UK PM said it had been "an honour" to work with him, while acknowledging the seriousness of the situation.
EPSTEIN FILES LEAD TO POLICE ACTION
The political fallout stems from documents released in the US that outlined previously undisclosed communications between Epstein and Mandelson.
Following the publication, the Metropolitan Police opened a criminal investigation into allegations that Mandelson shared market-sensitive information during the global financial crisis in 2009 and 2010, when he was a government minister.
Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing and has said he did not act improperly. However, the investigation has added legal uncertainty to an already damaging political episode.
Starmer last week apologised to Epstein’s victims, saying he had been misled about the nature of Mandelson’s relationship with the disgraced financier and had not known "the depths and darkness" of the connection.
WHO IS MORGAN MCSWEENEY?
McSweeney, 48, was regarded as one of the most influential figures behind Labour’s rise to power and its landslide election victory in July 2024.
A low-profile operator who avoided media attention, he was instrumental in shaping Starmer’s leadership campaign and repositioning the party after years of internal conflict. Colleagues often described him as the Prime Minister’s political strategist and chief enforcer.
His tenure began in October 2024, following the resignation of Sue Gray after a dispute over pay and donations. Since then, he has overseen operations at Downing Street during a turbulent period marked by policy U-turns and internal criticism.
Some MPs have also accused him of fostering a closed culture within No 10, arguing that his departure should prompt a wider reset of senior staffing.
The UK government has agreed to release nearly all private communications from the period surrounding Mandelson’s appointment. These documents could be made public in the coming days and may generate further political difficulties.