Morgan McSweeney stepped down from his role as chief of staff to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday. His resignation comes amid increasing scrutiny over his involvement in advising Peter Mandelson regarding the appointment of the British ambassador to the United States.
In his resignation announcement, McSweeney described the decision to appoint Mandelson as “wrong” and took full responsibility for the situation, claiming that stepping down was “the only honorable course” given the circumstances.
He expressed that Mandelson had undermined public trust in both the party and the broader political system. It wasn’t an easy choice for him, but he believed the controversy warranted a significant reform of the government’s vetting and due diligence processes. Despite this, he reiterated his support for Starmer and the Labour government’s agenda.
Recently released emails and documents indicate that Mandelson maintained contact with Jeffrey Epstein even after Epstein’s conviction in 2008 for solicitation of prostitution, including involving a minor.
Reports suggest that Mandelson may have shared confidential government details with Epstein during the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. Additionally, financial records point to Epstein transferring $75,000 to Mandelson or his husband’s accounts in 2003 and 2004.
On September 11, Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Doty revealed in the House of Commons that Starmer had requested Mandelson’s resignation as ambassador due to newly surfaced emails that painted a very different picture of his past relationship with Epstein. Doty mentioned that Mandelson’s claim that Epstein’s conviction was unfair constituted new information that ultimately led to the resignation.
Mandelson officially left the Labour Party on February 1st.
