Starmer’s ex-chief of staff McSweeney admits he made a ‘serious error of judgement’ over Mandelson
Sir Keir Starmer’s former private secretary has admitted he made a “serious error of judgment” and was wrong to support the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador as the Prime Minister sought to draw a line under the failed vetting scandal.
Sir Keir faces a crisis moment in his premiership as MPs vote on Tuesday afternoon on whether to launch a profane inquiry into the saga.
Morgan McSweeney placed the blame for the controversy squarely on Lord Mandelson; He said he was dishonest and “wouldn’t have gone forward” if the allegations in the Epstein files had been known at the time.
Lord Mandelson is facing a police investigation over allegations he leaked sensitive government documents to pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Mr McSweeney, who began his evidence session with MPs investigating the scandal by remembering Epstein’s victims, said realizing all of Mandelson’s links to the convicted sex offender after he became ambassador was “like a knife thrust into my soul”.
Mr McSweeney, who denied Mandelson was his hero, also said the Labor ambassador was the first to suggest his name for the job in Washington.
Although he denied Lord Mandelson’s “opinions” influenced the outcome, he revealed the former ambassador was in No 10 on the day of the final changeover.
He was forced to deny there was a ‘boys job’ culture at No 10 after Sir Keir acknowledged discussions of a separate ambassador role for then spin doctor Matthew Doyle and said the Prime Minister wanted him to be able to “stand on his own two feet” after losing his job.
He also denied that his State Department boss told his boss to “just approve” Mandelson.
Former senior Foreign Office civil servant Philip Barton also previously denied receiving such a phone call from Mr McSweeney in his statement.
