Quick Read
- Morgan McSweeney resigned as PM Keir Starmer’s chief of staff on Sunday, February 8, 2026.
- He took full responsibility for advising the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador.
- Mandelson’s appointment caused scandal due to his ties to Jeffrey Epstein and alleged misconduct, leading to a police investigation and his sacking in September 2025.
- McSweeney’s resignation follows Starmer’s recent public statements of full confidence in his chief of staff.
- The move intensifies pressure on Starmer, who faces calls for his own resignation, ahead of critical May elections.
LONDON (Azat TV) – Morgan McSweeney, the architect of the Labour Party’s 2024 general election victory and Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s influential chief of staff, dramatically resigned on Sunday, February 8, 2026. He took full responsibility for advising Starmer to appoint Peter Mandelson as UK Ambassador to the US, an appointment that has since plunged the government into crisis due to Mandelson’s well-documented ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and ongoing allegations of official misconduct. McSweeney’s departure amplifies pressure on Starmer, who now faces calls for his own resignation amid a deepening scandal.
McSweeney Takes ‘Full Responsibility’ for Mandelson Appointment
In his resignation letter, Morgan McSweeney stated he decided to step down after ‘careful reflection,’ acknowledging that the decision to appoint Peter Mandelson was ‘wrong.’ He affirmed, ‘I advised the prime minister to make that appointment and I take full responsibility for that advice.’ McSweeney highlighted the importance of owning responsibility in public life, adding that Mandelson had ‘damaged our party, our country and trust in politics itself.’ He also urged a fundamental overhaul of the due diligence and vetting process for future appointments, emphasizing that this ‘cannot simply be a gesture but a safeguard for the future.’
The resignation comes just days after Prime Minister Starmer publicly defended McSweeney. On Wednesday, Kemi Badenoch of the Conservative Party questioned Starmer’s confidence in McSweeney, to which the Prime Minister responded, ‘Morgan McSweeney is an essential part of my team. He helped me change the Labour party and win an election. Of course, I have confidence.’ A Downing Street spokesperson reiterated Starmer’s ‘full confidence’ in his chief of staff the following day. However, sources close to Downing Street now suggest that the decision for McSweeney to move on was a mutual one between him and Starmer, ultimately indicating the Prime Minister’s call. Following McSweeney’s departure, Jill Cuthbertson and Vidhya Alakeson, who served as deputy chiefs of staff since 2024, have been appointed as acting chiefs of staff.
The Mandelson Scandal: Epstein Ties and Police Investigation
The controversy surrounding Peter Mandelson escalated significantly after his appointment as UK Ambassador to the US in December 2024. Despite his well-known friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, which continued even after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from an underage girl, Starmer proceeded with the appointment. Mandelson was subsequently sacked from his ambassadorial post in September 2025 after emails emerged showing supportive messages he sent to Epstein while the financier faced sex offense charges.
More recently, a new tranche of Epstein files released by the US Justice Department triggered a police investigation into Mandelson. He is accused of passing on market-sensitive government information that was of clear financial interest to Epstein following the 2008 financial crisis. Metropolitan Police officers searched Mandelson’s London home and another property linked to him on Friday, February 6, as part of their investigation into alleged misconduct in public office. Mandelson has not been arrested or charged and has resigned as a member of the House of Lords. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden has called on Mandelson to return or donate to charity the reported £40,000 pay-off he received after his sacking.
Calls for Starmer’s Resignation and Labour’s Internal Divisions
McSweeney’s resignation has intensified calls for Prime Minister Starmer to consider his own position. Ian Byrne, Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby, and Brian Leishman, MP for Alloa and Grangemouth, both suggested Starmer should ‘reflect honestly on his own position’ and potentially ‘follow Morgan McSweeney’s lead’ by stepping down. Green Party leader Zack Polanski and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage echoed these sentiments, with Farage predicting Starmer would be ‘out of No 10’ after anticipated ‘disaster’ in the upcoming May elections.
Within the Labour Party, the resignation has highlighted deeper divisions and concerns about the party’s internal culture. Rachael Maskell, Labour MP for York Central, called McSweeney’s resignation ‘a start’ but demanded more action to tackle factionalism and ensure decisions are made inclusively. Clive Lewis, Labour MP for Norwich South, described McSweeney not as ‘an aberration’ but ‘the tip of an iceberg,’ representing a political culture ‘forged under Blair and Mandelson that taught the party to be relaxed about extreme wealth, comfortable in the orbit of billionaires, lobbyists and corporate power.’ Kim Johnson, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, warned that McSweeney’s resignation would not protect the Prime Minister, calling Starmer’s position ‘untenable.’
However, some Labour figures have defended Starmer and McSweeney. John Slinger, MP for Rugby, rejected calls for the Prime Minister to step down, stating, ‘it’s in the national interest for Keir Starmer to stay as prime minister.’ Gordon McKee, Labour MP for Glasgow South, acknowledged McSweeney’s ‘mistake on Mandelson’ but praised his ‘extraordinary ability’ in masterminding Labour’s 2024 election victory, noting he ‘almost single handedly mastermind[ed] our return from the wilderness to a Labour Government.’
A Crucial Test Ahead for Starmer
Morgan McSweeney was widely credited as the strategic brain behind Labour’s remarkable comeback in the 2024 general election, transforming the party from its devastating 2019 defeat under Jeremy Corbyn to a landslide victory. His close relationship with Starmer, evident when he was pulled onto the stage alongside the then-Prime Minister-elect at Tate Modern, underscored his critical role. However, it is this very relationship, particularly concerning his mentor Peter Mandelson, that ultimately led to his undoing.
Prime Minister Starmer is expected to provide an update as early as Monday on how the government plans to address the issues highlighted by the Mandelson scandal. This comes ahead of crucial May elections, which include contests for council seats across England and for the Welsh and Scottish parliaments. These elections are widely seen as a significant test for Starmer’s leadership, particularly given his current unpopularity with the public and the growing threat from Reform UK and the Green Party, who are eroding Labour’s support.
Morgan McSweeney’s abrupt resignation marks a pivotal moment for Keir Starmer’s premiership, shifting the focus from the Mandelson appointment itself to the Prime Minister’s judgment and the broader integrity of his government. While intended to draw a line under the immediate crisis, the move has instead fueled intense scrutiny on Labour’s internal culture and amplified calls for deeper systemic change, setting a critical backdrop for the upcoming May elections.