Morgan McSweeney, chief of staff to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, stepped down from his position on Sunday, February 08. His resignation comes as controversy deepens surrounding Peter Mandelson’s connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, brought back into the spotlight by a substantial new release of documents from the US Department of Justice.
McSweeney, recognized as the strategist behind Starmer’s decisive 2024 election win, accepted “full responsibility” in his resignation letter for advising Mandelson’s nomination as UK Ambassador to the United States. “The decision to appoint Peter Mandelson was wrong. He has damaged our party, our country and trust in politics itself,” McSweeney stated in remarks circulated by political correspondents on X.
“When asked, I advised the Prime Minister to make that appointment, and I take full responsibility for that advice. In public life, responsibility must be owned when it matters most, not just when it is most convenient. In the circumstances, the only honourable course is to step aside,” he continued.
Mandelson was removed from his ambassadorial position in September 2025 following DOJ document releases that exposed the full scope of his financial and personal connections with Epstein, including claims he provided market-sensitive information to the financier during the 2008 financial crisis. After further disclosures in early 2026, Mandelson also resigned from the Labour Party and the House of Lords.
In his letter, McSweeney addressed wider ramifications of the scandal: “Firstly, and most importantly, we must remember the women and girls whose lives were ruined by Jeffrey Epstein and whose voices went unheard for far too long. Secondly, while I did not oversee the due diligence and vetting process, I believe that process must now be fundamentally overhauled. This cannot simply be a gesture but a safeguard for the future,” he stated.
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