Morgan McSweeney Resigns as Keir Starmer's Chief of Staff Over Mandelson-Epstein Scandal

Morgan McSweeney resigned as Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s chief of staff on 8 February 2026, accepting "full responsibility" for advising that Lord Peter Mandelson be appointed UK ambassador to Washington.

“Former official McSweeney condemned the decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, calling it wrong and saying it has harmed the party, the country and public trust”

ABC27

The appointment collapsed after newly released US Department of Justice documents linked Mandelson to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

ABC27

Reporting says McSweeney called the decision "wrong," said it had damaged public trust, and urged an overhaul of vetting and due diligence.

Starmer thanked him for his service and named deputies to act in the role.

Newly released Justice Department files and reporting allege Peter Mandelson had closer contact with Jeffrey Epstein than previously disclosed and that he may have shared market-sensitive information around the 2008 financial crisis.

Media and police responses followed, with the Metropolitan Police opening an inquiry and searching properties while multiple outlets reported questions about payments and alleged document sharing.

Al Jazeera

Publications note Mandelson was sacked from his ambassadorial role in 2024/2025 after earlier revelations and later resigned from the Lords.

McSweeney’s resignation statement and contemporaneous coverage differ over his role in vetting and the internal decision-making chain.

“Keir Starmer thanked McSweeney for his service”

Anadolu Ajansı

McSweeney said the advice to proceed was wrong, accepted full responsibility, urged an overhaul of vetting and due diligence, and asked that Epstein’s victims be remembered.

At the same time, several reports emphasize he said he did not personally carry out security checks.

Coverage notes that advisers advise while ministers make final calls, and some Labour figures defended him as an adviser rather than the appointing authority.

The political fallout stretches across party lines and geography.

Starmer thanked McSweeney and credited him for helping secure Labour’s 2024 victory, but opposition leaders and some Labour figures called for accountability and even the prime minister’s resignation.

AnewZ

Deputies Jill Cuthbertson and Vidhya Alakeson were named acting joint chiefs of staff.

Commentators warn the row could damage Starmer’s standing ahead of local polls and has prompted calls for broader vetting reform.

Reactions ranged from calls for an independent inquiry to warnings that the resignation might not be enough to settle questions about judgment and process.

Key factual and investigative threads remain unresolved and contested in coverage.

“The departure of a key strategist who helped Keir Starmer’s rise has intensified scrutiny of the prime minister’s judgment amid weak poll ratings and internal Labour dissent”

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Some reports cite news‑agency and DOJ material suggesting links and possible leaks.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Other pieces note that many pages are redacted or that reporting has not been independently verified, and outlets differ on whether the emerging disclosures directly implicate McSweeney.

The Sunday Guardian and some regional outlets cite further court and news‑agency reports that could broaden the inquiry, while several mainstream sources stress the developing nature of the story and the government's promise to publish related communications.

That uncertainty leaves both legal and political questions open as investigations and document releases continue.