Morgan McSweeney Quits As Starmer's Chief Of Staff Over Mandelson Scandal
Morgan McSweeney has resigned as Keir Starmer’s chief of staff as the Peter Mandelson scandal engulfs the government.
The key No.10 aide said he was carrying the can for advising the prime minister to make the disgraced former peer the UK’s ambassador to Washington.
He was sacked after just seven months over his links to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, and now faces a criminal investigation into allegations he passed government information to the financier when he was business secretary.
McSweeney’s departure comes just four days after the prime minister said he had full confidence in him and praised the job he had done as his key adviser for many years.
In a statement, McSweeney said: “The decision to appoint Peter Mandelson was wrong. He has damaged our party, our country and trust in politics itself.
“When asked, I advised the prime minister to make that appointment and I take full responsibility for that advice.
“In public life responsibility must be owned when it matters most, not just when it is most convenient. In the circumstances, the only honourable course is to step aside.”
McSweeney said it had “not been an easy decision” to resign.
He added: “I leave with pride in all we have achieved mixed with regret at the circumstances of my departure. But I have always believed there are moments when you must accept your responsibility and step aside for the bigger cause.”
He said the vetting process for appointments such as Mandelson’s needs to be “fundamentally overhauled” and that he would continue to be “fully supportive” of the PM.
“He is working every day to rebuild trust, restore standards and serve the country,” McSweeney said. “I will continue to back that mission in whatever way I can. It has been the honour of my life to serve.”
Starmer said: “It’s been an honour working with Morgan McSweeney for many years. He turned our party around after one of its worst ever defeats and played a central role running our election campaign.
“It is largely thanks to his dedication, loyalty and leadership that we won a landslide majority and have the chance to change the country.
“Having worked closely with Morgan in opposition and in government, I have seen every day his commitment to the Labour Party and to our country. Our party and I owe him a debt of gratitude, and I thank him for his service.”
A Labour source told HuffPost UK: “It seems bizarre Morgan has gone just for giving advice.
“There are plenty of other people still around Keir who have hidden behind Morgan and tried to pretend they weren’t pushing for this appointment. They will no longer be able to.”
Posting on X, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said “it was about time” McSweeney quit.
She added: “But once again with this PM it’s somebody else’s fault: ‘Mandelson lied to me’ or ‘Morgan advised me’.
“Keir Starmer has to take responsibility for his own terrible decisions. But he never does.”