Labour leader Keir Starmer is under pressure after accepting the resignation of his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, following controversy over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US, including questions over Mandelson’s links to Jeffrey Epstein. Following McSweeney's departure, Starmer's director of communications, Tim Allan, also handed in his resignation.
The explosive resignations by McSweeney, Mandelson, and Allan all come as the Starmer Labour Party tank in the polls, with years remaining in their super-majority-backed tenure. Allan said in a statement, "I have decided to stand down to allow a new No 10 team to be built. I wish the PM and his team every success."
McSweeney said in a statement on Sunday that he “took full responsibility” for advising Starmer to make the appointment. “The decision to appoint Peter Mandelson was wrong. He has damaged our party, our country and trust in politics itself,” McSweeney wrote. He added that vetting processes for appointments require a “fundamental overhaul," per the Guardian.
The departure removes one of Starmer’s closest and most influential advisers, causing new concerns among Labour MPs about the prime minister’s ability to navigate upcoming policy challenges and by-elections in Gorton and Denton later this month. A senior source described McSweeney as Starmer’s “firewall” on Mandelson and other issues. “Where does he think the anger gets directed next?” the source said.
Allies of McSweeney stressed he provided advice but did not push for Mandelson’s appointment. “Keir made the decision,” one aide said. Friends of McSweeney said he plans to step back from politics for now but could return in the future.
Starmer praised his former chief of staff in a statement Sunday evening, saying: “He turned our party around after one of its worst ever defeats and played a central role running our election campaign. It is largely thanks to his dedication, loyalty and leadership that we won a landslide majority.”
The resignation has reignited debate over Starmer’s leadership and judgment. Former Labour ministers Gordon Brown and David Blunkett criticized the handling of the situation, while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the prime minister “has to take responsibility for his own terrible decisions. But he never does.”
Downing Street confirmed that Jill Cuthbertson and Vidhya Alakeson, McSweeney’s deputies, will act as interim chiefs of staff immediately. Analysts and insiders say the move may buy Starmer some time, but questions remain over his ability to maintain control of the party amid internal dissent.
McSweeney has been a lightning rod for criticism within Labour for years, with backbenchers and grassroots members questioning his style and policy influence. His exit marks the latest in a string of high-profile Downing Street departures.
The explosive resignations by McSweeney, Mandelson, and Allan all come as the Starmer Labour Party tank in the polls, with years remaining in their super-majority-backed tenure. Allan said in a statement, "I have decided to stand down to allow a new No 10 team to be built. I wish the PM and his team every success."
McSweeney said in a statement on Sunday that he “took full responsibility” for advising Starmer to make the appointment. “The decision to appoint Peter Mandelson was wrong. He has damaged our party, our country and trust in politics itself,” McSweeney wrote. He added that vetting processes for appointments require a “fundamental overhaul," per the Guardian.
The departure removes one of Starmer’s closest and most influential advisers, causing new concerns among Labour MPs about the prime minister’s ability to navigate upcoming policy challenges and by-elections in Gorton and Denton later this month. A senior source described McSweeney as Starmer’s “firewall” on Mandelson and other issues. “Where does he think the anger gets directed next?” the source said.
Allies of McSweeney stressed he provided advice but did not push for Mandelson’s appointment. “Keir made the decision,” one aide said. Friends of McSweeney said he plans to step back from politics for now but could return in the future.
Starmer praised his former chief of staff in a statement Sunday evening, saying: “He turned our party around after one of its worst ever defeats and played a central role running our election campaign. It is largely thanks to his dedication, loyalty and leadership that we won a landslide majority.”
The resignation has reignited debate over Starmer’s leadership and judgment. Former Labour ministers Gordon Brown and David Blunkett criticized the handling of the situation, while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the prime minister “has to take responsibility for his own terrible decisions. But he never does.”
Downing Street confirmed that Jill Cuthbertson and Vidhya Alakeson, McSweeney’s deputies, will act as interim chiefs of staff immediately. Analysts and insiders say the move may buy Starmer some time, but questions remain over his ability to maintain control of the party amid internal dissent.
McSweeney has been a lightning rod for criticism within Labour for years, with backbenchers and grassroots members questioning his style and policy influence. His exit marks the latest in a string of high-profile Downing Street departures.
