Morgan McSweeney: The Rise and Scrutiny of Starmer's Right-Hand Man
Anger among Labour MPs over Sir Keir Starmer's handling of the Peter Mandelson scandal has cast a shadow over the Prime Minister's political future, but the role of his trusted chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, is now under intense examination. Mr McSweeney, viewed as a close ally of the disgraced peer, is considered the driving force behind Lord Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador, despite reportedly knowing that his dealings with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein continued after the financier's conviction for child sex offences.
The Central Figure in Government Strategy
As the Prime Minister's right-hand man, Mr McSweeney holds a pivotal position in charge of strategy and is central to decision-making at the heart of Government. Consequently, he is seen by some as responsible for Downing Street's failed attempt to control the release of potentially explosive documents that provide insight into how the decision to appoint Lord Mandelson was made. This has led to serious questions about his political judgment and operational oversight.
From Building Sites to Downing Street
Mr McSweeney's journey to the corridors of power began humbly. Born in County Cork, he left Ireland for London in 1994 at the age of 17, where he is said to have initially worked on building sites. He joined the Labour Party in 1997, reportedly motivated by the party's backing for the Good Friday Agreement, which was key to the Northern Ireland peace process. His early political career included roles as a Labour conference administrator and work in the party's "attack and rebuttal unit" at Millbank headquarters.
In this capacity, he is said to have been tasked with adding information to Peter Mandelson's "excalibur" database, which informed campaign messaging. His reputation as an effective organiser grew during the 2005 general election, when he was sent to marginal seats to campaign. He later became a key figure in efforts to oust the coalition of Liberal Democrats and Conservatives in the London borough of Lambeth, led by current Communities Secretary Steve Reed.
Climbing the Political Ladder
After a failed bid to become a councillor in Sutton in 2006, Mr McSweeney was appointed head of Mr Reed's leader's office in Southwark, a role he held until October 2007. Following a stint as director of communities at The Campaign Company consultancy, he joined the Local Government Association as a political adviser and was later appointed head of the organisation's Labour group office, a position he held until 2017.
During this time, he ran Liz Kendall's leadership campaign in 2015, which resulted in the current Science Secretary finishing fourth. In 2017, Mr McSweeney was appointed director of the Labour Together think tank, sharing a board position with Mr Reed and current Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy. At the time, he declared his intention to move the party, then led by Jeremy Corbyn, "from the hard left" and "build a sustainable winning electoral coalition."
Controversies and Electoral Scrutiny
However, Mr McSweeney later faced scrutiny over financial irregularities during his role at Labour Together. In 2021, the Electoral Commission fined the think tank £14,250 for failing to deliver donation reports within 30 days, inaccurately reporting donations, and failing to appoint a responsible person within 30 days of accepting a donation. The Conservatives called for the regulator to revisit the case in September last year after emails, seemingly sent by a Labour Together lawyer to Mr McSweeney, were leaked.
Despite Conservative Party chairman Kevin Holinrake suggesting the emails could serve as evidence that the Electoral Commission had been misled, the regulator said a review of the information had not provided "evidence of any other potential offences."
Rise to Power Under Starmer
Mr McSweeney was appointed to run Sir Keir's successful 2020 leadership campaign and initially became his chief of staff. Following a poor Labour showing in the Chesham and Amersham by-election in 2021, he was moved to a strategic role in the leader's office but is said to have remained a key adviser. After being appointed as Labour's director of campaigns in September 2021, Mr McSweeney is said to have been behind a push to impose a new centralised long-listing of parliamentary candidates, a process considered as an attempt to lock out those on the left of the party.
Labour's election victory in 2024 resulted in Mr McSweeney being appointed to the shared role of head of political strategy. Reports later suggested tension had developed between Mr McSweeney and then chief of staff Sue Gray, but Labour sources provided contradictory opinions on the relationship at the time. Following Ms Gray's resignation, Mr McSweeney was appointed Downing Street chief of staff in October 2024.
Current Crisis and Uncertain Future
Now, alongside the Prime Minister, he is facing questions over his political judgment following the sacking of Lord Mandelson. In what appears to be a defence of his close ally, the Prime Minister insisted on Wednesday that "none of us knew the depth of the darkness" of Lord Mandelson's relationship with the convicted sex offender. But the strength of feeling within the Labour Party and beyond means the future of a man viewed as one of the most influential figures on the political left, and a key player in Sir Keir's rise to become Prime Minister, is shrouded in uncertainty.
The scandal has not only damaged Lord Mandelson's reputation but has also placed Mr McSweeney's career under a microscope, with many questioning whether his close association with the peer and his handling of the appointment will affect his standing in Downing Street. As the political fallout continues, all eyes are on how Sir Keir Starmer will navigate this crisis and what it means for his chief of staff's role in shaping the Government's future direction.
