Morgan McSweeney, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, resigned on Sunday after mounting political pressure over his involvement in the appointment of Peter Mandelson, a longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein, as Britain’s ambassador to the United States.
In a statement announcing his departure, Mr. McSweeney, who has long been regarded as a protégé of Mr. Mandelson, acknowledged responsibility for the decision. “The decision to appoint Peter Mandelson was wrong. He has damaged our party, our country, and trust in politics itself,” he said.
“When asked, I advised the prime minister to make that appointment, and I take full responsibility for that advice,” he added.
The resignation followed days of turmoil within the Labour Party after emails released by the U.S. Justice Department revealed a far closer relationship between Mr. Mandelson and Mr. Epstein than had previously been disclosed. Mr. Epstein, a wealthy financier and convicted sex offender, died by suicide in prison in 2019.
Late on Sunday, Downing Street announced that two of Mr. Starmer’s deputies, Jill Cuthbertson and Vidhya Alakeson, would immediately assume the role of co-acting chiefs of staff.
Mr. McSweeney’s exit may ease some pressure on Mr. Starmer, though it could also intensify a rapidly escalating scandal that now threatens the prime minister’s leadership of Labour’s first government in 14 years.
Mr. Starmer dismissed Mr. Mandelson from his post as ambassador in September, citing new information about his ties to Mr. Epstein. However, thousands of additional emails made public on January 30 suggested a significantly closer relationship than Mr. Mandelson had admitted.
The emails also appear to show that Mr. Mandelson shared confidential government information with Mr. Epstein while serving in government in 2009. Among the material was a sensitive economic memorandum sent to Gordon Brown, then the prime minister.
“Interesting note that’s gone to the PM,” Mr. Mandelson wrote to Mr. Epstein in June 2009, according to the emails.
Following the release of the latest documents, Mr. Mandelson resigned from the House of Lords. Despite that, the controversy has continued to shake British politics at a time when Mr. Starmer is already facing record-low approval ratings and growing public frustration over the country’s stagnant economy. Since the disclosures, some Labour figures have joined opposition voices in calling for the prime minister to step aside.
In a speech delivered on Thursday, Mr. Starmer said he would remain in office but offered an apology to Mr. Epstein’s victims and acknowledged that appointing Mr. Mandelson had been a mistake.
“I am sorry. Sorry for what was done to you,” he said, addressing the victims directly. “Sorry that so many people with power failed you. Sorry for having believed Mandelson’s lies and appointed him.”
Morgan McSweeney
The remarks failed to quell anger within the party, and over the weekend, more members of Parliament publicly argued that Mr. McSweeney should resign, pointing to his close relationship with Mr. Mandelson and his role in pushing for the ambassadorial appointment.
As recently as Sunday morning, government figures told interviewers they did not expect Mr. McSweeney to step down. But hours later, his statement made clear he believed he had no alternative.
“In public life, responsibility must be owned when it matters most, not just when it is most convenient,” he said. “In the circumstances, the only honorable course is to step aside.”
He added, “I remain fully supportive of the Prime Minister.”
Mr. McSweeney’s resignation represents a significant loss for Mr. Starmer. He was a key strategist in Labour’s election victory and later became a senior figure inside No. 10, playing a central role in rebuilding the party after years in opposition.
“He turned our party around after one of its worst ever defeats and played a central role running our election campaign,” Mr. Starmer said in a statement. “Our party and I owe him a debt of gratitude, and I thank him for his service.”
A senior official in the prime minister’s office said Mr. Starmer remained committed to his policy agenda but acknowledged that Mr. Mandelson’s case had exposed serious shortcomings, including what critics have described as a failure in vetting. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the prime minister could address the country as early as Monday to outline the next steps.
Despite Mr. McSweeney’s departure, Mr. Starmer’s difficulties are far from resolved.
Last week, the prime minister referred Mr. Mandelson to the police for possible criminal investigation over his handling of government information. London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed they are investigating, and over the weekend, officers searched two of Mr. Mandelson’s properties.
Mr. Starmer and his team are also preparing for the release of another set of documents, internal communications related to the decision to appoint Mr. Mandelson as ambassador in late 2024, shortly before President Trump returned to office.
Mr. Starmer agreed to publish the materials under pressure, stating that they would demonstrate that Mr. Mandelson had misrepresented the extent of his relationship with Mr. Epstein.
The release has been delayed as officials review the documents to ensure they do not contain classified information or material that could compromise national security. A parliamentary committee is expected to review the records once they are submitted.
