Morgan McSweeney, Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, has resigned amid anger over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador. The senior No 10 adviser took full responsibility for advising the prime minister to appoint Mandelson, who had been a close ally and political mentor.
McSweeney resigned on Sunday, saying the decision had undermined trust in Labour, the country and politics itself, and that it was the “honourable course” for him to go. His departure is a major blow to Starmer, who had come to rely heavily on McSweeney’s political judgment.
In a statement released to the Guardian, McSweeney 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.”
Friends of McSweeney said he planned to step away from politics for a time, though speculation suggested he could return as an electoral strategist before the next general election. Downing Street confirmed that Jill Cuthbertson and Vidhya Alakeson would take over as acting chiefs of staff with immediate effect.
Labour MPs were divided in their response. Some lamented his departure, highlighting his role in winning the 2024 election landslide, while others criticised a “boys’ club” mentality and called for a change in how decisions are made.
