Starmer says it is ‘far-fetched’ to suggest McSweeney phone theft linked to Mandelson files

Sir Keir Starmer said it was “a bit of an exaggeration” to suggest that the theft of former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney’s phone was linked to the publication of files on Lord Peter Mandelson’s appointment as Britain’s ambassador to the US.

Concerns arose that the phone snatching incident that took place in London in October 2025 could cause important messages between the two to be lost.

Speaking to broadcasters in Helsinki, the prime minister insisted the phone had been stolen and rejected suggestions that the claim was an attempt to stir up trouble.

Sir Keir said: “The phone was stolen. It was reported to the police. There is a transcript of the conversation where Morgan McSweeney gives her name, date of birth, details of the phone and police confirm it was reported.”

“Unfortunately, there are burglaries like this. It was stolen. It was reported at the time, the police accepted it and confirmed it… and the idea that somehow everyone could have seen that there would be a telephone request at some point in the future is, in my opinion, a bit far-fetched.”

Mr McSweeney, who is said to have pushed for his former Labor colleague to be appointed as US ambassador, resigned as Sir Keir’s private secretary earlier this year over his role in the decision.

The Metropolitan Police mistakenly noted that the burglary took place in east London rather than Westminster, after Mr McSweeney mistakenly listed his location as Belgrave Street rather than Belgrave Road during the search on October 20.

Police took the unusual step of releasing the transcript of Mr McSweeney’s 999 call reporting the phone theft.

During the conversation he gives his name, personal email address and home address outside London, and says the device is a Government phone and that he called his office to have it traced.

Given that the burglary was recorded in the wrong location, officers checked the wrong CCTV and concluded that there was no realistic line of inquiry to pursue. This is now under review.

It appears that the Cabinet Office has some messages between Mr McSweeney and Lord Mandelson.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the disappearance of messages was “more of a conspiracy than a plot” while Downing Street was keen to highlight the phone theft, which occurred “months before” MPs forced the Government to release correspondence about Lord Mandelson’s appointment as the UK’s ambassador to the US.

Lawmakers moved in February to mandate the release of tens of thousands of documents, amid questions about what was known about the colleague’s connections to pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein before he was given his job in Washington.

Lord Mandelson, a political appointee rather than a career diplomat, was fired from his post in Washington in September last year over his links to Epstein, who died in 2019.

He was arrested on February 23 on suspicion of abuse of public office, accused of passing sensitive information to Epstein during his time as business secretary in Gordon Brown’s government.

Sir Keir has repeatedly said he is sorry for believing Lord Mandelson’s “lies” about his link to the sex offender and appointing him as US ambassador.

The first tranche of documentation on peer appointment was released earlier this month, with more to come.

More to follow…