Morgan McSweeney has resigned as Keir Starmer’s Chief of Staff after accepting “full responsibility” for advising on the appointment of Lord Mandelson.
In a statement, he said: “After careful reflection, I have decided to resign from the government. The decision to appoint Peter Mandelson was wrong.”
“He has damaged our party, our country and trust in politics itself. 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.”
Morgan McSweeney has resigned
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Reacting to the move, the Prime Minister thanked Morgan McSweeney for “his dedication, loyalty and leadership”.
“It’s been an honour working with Morgan McSweeney for many years. 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 and have the chance to change the country.
“Having worked closely with Morgan in opposition and in government, I have seen every day his commitment to the Labour Party and to our country.
“Our party and I owe him a debt of gratitude, and I thank him for his service,” the Prime Minister said.
The decision comes just hours after Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden said that there was no point in the departure of Mr McSweeney “if the Prime Minister stays”.
Defending Sir Keir’s position in No10 this morning, Mr McFadden told GB News: “He’s got a five-year term. That’s why he was voted in.
“We can’t run the country through some opinion polls, or we’ve been losing prime ministers, even more frequently than we have in recent years, and I think we should put the trend and maybe keep one for a few years.”
The outgoing Chief of Staff accepted ‘full responsibility’ for advising on the appointment of Lord Mandelson
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Sir Keir, who called Lord Madelson a “liar” and accused him of “betrayal” last week, is under increasing pressure after appointing him as the UK’s Ambassador to the US.
He was forced to sack the peer from the role in September last year following fresh revelations about Lord Mandelson’s relationship with the late paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Lord Mandelson is also under investigation for allegations of leaking market-sensitive No10 documents to Epstein during the 2008 financial crisis.
Mr McSweeney said the decision had “not been an easy” one and defended his record, insisting his motivation had always been to elect and support “a government that puts the lives of ordinary people first and leads us to a better future for our great country”.
Keir Starmer is under increasing pressure after appointing Lord Mandelson as the UK’s Ambassador to the US
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Mr McSweeney’s resignation statement continued: “I leave with pride in all we have achieved mixed with regret at the circumstances of my departure. But I have always believed there are moments when you must accept your responsibility and step aside for the bigger cause.
“As I leave I have two further reflections: 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.
“I remain fully supportive of the Prime Minister. He is working every day to rebuild trust, restore standards and serve the country. I will continue to back that mission in whatever way I can.
“It has been the honour of my life to serve,” Mr McSweeney concluded.
