Morgan McSweeney, Keir Starmer's former top aide, has been summoned to give evidence before the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee next week. The move comes as the Prime Minister struggles to contain the fallout from the Peter Mandelson scandal, which erupted over the peer's ties to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
McSweeney quit in February, taking 'full responsibility' for advising Starmer to appoint Lord Mandelson as US ambassador. The decision sparked backlash after it emerged that UK Security Vetting (UKSV) had recommended refusing Mandelson top security clearance before his appointment.
At Prime Minister's Questions, Starmer clashed with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who demanded he 'finally take responsibility and go'. Starmer hit back, accusing Badenoch of being 'wrong, wrong, wrong' about the vetting process. He said: 'She rushed to judgment, as she always did, just like the Iran war.'
Starmer also faced questions over claims that No10 sought a diplomatic post for his spin chief Matthew Doyle last year. The allegation was made by sacked Foreign Office chief Sir Olly Robbins, who said he was ordered to keep the Foreign Secretary in the dark. Starmer told MPs that conversations about other roles were common, but nothing came of it.
The row has caused unease in Starmer's top team. Pat McFadden, a close ally, repeatedly refused to say if he thought the sacking of Sir Olly was fair. Several ministers, including Rachel Reeves and Wes Streeting, are said to have warned against picking fights with the civil service at a Cabinet meeting.
The timing is problematic for No10, with local elections two weeks away. MPs will also grill Cabinet Office official Cat Little and former Foreign Office head Sir Philip Barton this week.
