Morgan McSweeney quits: Keir Starmer’s right-hand man resigns as Downing Street chief of staff over Mandelson scandal
Morgan McSweeney has resigned as Keir Starmer’s Downing Street chief of staff over his role in the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador.
Sir Keir’s right-hand man, credited with masterminding Labour’s landslide election victory in 2024, has resigned from his post, claiming he takes “full responsibility” for his recommendation to hire Mandelson.
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It comes as pressure mounts on the prime minister over the scandal and is currently perceived as a damage limitation exercise to save Sir Keir’s premiership. Opinium’s poll over the weekend showed 55 per cent believe the prime minister should also go.
Mr. McSweeney was seen as instrumental in Mandelson’s appointment to the top diplomatic post; The decision became an embarrassment for the government following recent revelations about her relationship with convicted pedophile and financier Jeffrey Epstein.
In a statement, Mr McSweeney said: “After careful consideration, I have decided to resign from the government. The decision to appoint Peter Mandelson was wrong. He has damaged trust in our party, our country and politics.
“When asked, I recommended that the prime minister make this appointment, and I take full responsibility for this recommendation. Responsibility in public life must be embraced not only at the most appropriate time, but also at the most important time. Under these circumstances, the only honorable course of action would be to step aside.”
Insisting that he “left with pride”, he called for a complete overhaul of vetting procedures in the future, warning that they “could be a precaution, not just a gesture”.
Sir Keir said: “It has been an honor to work with Morgan McSweeney over the years. He turned our party around from one of its worst ever defeats and played a central role in running our election campaign. Thanks to his dedication, loyalty and leadership we won an overwhelming majority and had the chance to change the country.”
“Having worked closely with Morgan in opposition and government, I have seen his commitment to Labor and our country every day. Our party and I owe him a debt of gratitude and I thank him for his service.”
But the decision massively weakens Sir Keir as the man at the heart of the Starmer project leaves the government, and there are questions about whether he can survive in Downing Street without the prime minister’s right-hand man.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said this raised further questions about the prime minister himself.
He said: “It’s time. But this Prime Minister, once again it’s someone else’s fault: ‘Mandelson lied to me’ or ‘Morgan gave me advice.’ Keir Starmer must take responsibility for his own terrible decisions. But he never does that.”
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper MP said: “The Prime Minister can change his advisers as much as he wants, but the onus remains on him.”
Reform, which could trigger Starmer’s downfall if he wins the crucial Gorton and Denton by-election on February 26, said the resignation “confirms the chaos at the heart of the Starmer government”.
Labor MP Brian Leishman said: “The Prime Minister must look at his own position and question one last time whether he should follow McSweeney’s lead and resign for the good of the country and the Labor Party.”
It came despite Mr McSweeney’s closest cabinet ally, welfare secretary Pat McFadden, insisting on Sunday morning that former home secretary Lord Blunkett should not go as he called for his sacking.
Meanwhile, some leading female Labor figures, including Baroness Ayesha Hazarika, condemned the “boys’ club” in Downing Street.
After a troubled week in politics, the Prime Minister and Mr McSweeney are understood to have mutually agreed that now is the right time to move on.
Sources stressed that the government’s policy agenda remains unchanged, with a relentless focus on the cost of living, and that Sir Keir will lead efforts on this issue next week.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir plans to provide an update on the action taken over the Mandelson scandal on Monday.
Mr McSweeney, 48, faced demands to resign as recently as December following a hostile briefing by No 10 officials about health secretary Wes Streeting.
A close ally of Paul Ovenden has been sacked from Downing Street after emails emerged containing lurid remarks about senior Labor MP Diane Abbott.
But the outgoing chief of staff was forced to fall on his sword last year after pushing for Mandelson to be made ambassador, despite concerns from Donald Trump’s administration and red flags raised by security services about the former Labor ambassador’s links to China and Epstein.
The revelation that Mandelson had leaked confidential and market-sensitive government material to Epstein led to a police investigation and saw him forced to leave the Labor Party and the House of Lords.
As anger grew, Sir Keir was forced last week to release all review documents relating to his appointment.
McSweeney has been accused of wanting to copy the Tony Blair-era government and relying on the big boys of that era, including his mentor Mandelson.
Worse still, when Sir Keir sacked Mandelson as ambassador in September last year, McSweeney is understood to have begged to keep him in the post.
He caused controversy by sacking his previous chief of staff, Sue Gray, and replacing her with the government just a few months later.
As the man running the 2024 election campaign, he has been accused of overpromising in the manifesto, which is partly responsible for pushing through several U-turns and welfare cuts in recent months.
During its 18 months in office, support for the Labor government fell below 20 per cent in the polls.
But Glasgow South MP Gordon McKee came out to defend him, saying: “I’ve known him personally for six years and he’s one of the most decent people I’ve ever met in politics.”
