A political storm has erupted in the U.K. after Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s chief of staff stepped down amid growing controversy over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the United States and his past connections to Jeffrey Epstein.
Morgan McSweeney announced his resignation on Sunday, saying he accepted full responsibility for advising Starmer to appoint Mandelson, 72, to one of the country’s most sensitive and high-profile diplomatic roles in 2024. The decision has come under intense scrutiny following the release of new documents linked to Epstein in the United States.
In a public statement, McSweeney was blunt about his role in the affair. He said the choice to appoint Mandelson was a serious mistake that had harmed the Labour Party, undermined public confidence, and damaged trust in politics more broadly. McSweeney added that he personally advised the prime minister to make the appointment and felt it was right to take responsibility for that advice.
The controversy intensified after newly released Epstein-related files suggested that Mandelson may have shared market-sensitive information with the disgraced financier during the 2008 global financial crisis, when Mandelson was serving as the U.K.’s business secretary. The documents, published as part of a large release by U.S. authorities, have raised uncomfortable questions about judgment and oversight at the highest levels of government.
Facing mounting pressure, Starmer’s administration has pledged to publish its own internal emails and records connected to Mandelson’s appointment. Officials insist these documents will show that Mandelson misled government figures about his past conduct and associations.
Mandelson, a long-standing Labour figure who has previously served as a Cabinet minister and ambassador, has not been arrested or charged with any crime. However, Metropolitan Police confirmed that officers searched his London residence and another property linked to him on Friday. Police said the investigation remains complex and will involve extensive further evidence gathering and analysis.
Starmer had already removed Mandelson from his ambassadorial post in September, following earlier revelations about his ties to Epstein. Still, critics argue that the latest disclosures have brought renewed focus on the prime minister’s judgment. They claim the warning signs were there from the beginning and that Mandelson should never have been appointed to such a prominent role.
As more documents are reviewed and investigations continue, the episode has become a major test for Starmer’s leadership—raising broader questions about accountability, transparency, and the standards expected of those at the very top of public life.
