Starmer’s Chief of Staff Resigns Amid Fallout from Mandelson Controversy

2026-02-08 global

London, Sunday, 8 February 2026.
McSweeney resigned Sunday, accepting full responsibility for advising the “wrong” appointment of Peter Mandelson. The exit of Starmer’s top strategist signals deepening instability within Downing Street.

A Crisis of Judgment

Morgan McSweeney, the strategist widely credited with engineering Labour’s 2024 election victory, resigned as Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Chief of Staff on Sunday, February 8, 2026 [2][3]. In a statement released Sunday afternoon, McSweeney admitted that his advice to appoint Peter Mandelson was “wrong” and had “damaged our party, our country and trust in politics itself” [1][2]. The resignation follows a week of intensifying scrutiny after the U.S. administration released documents revealing that Mandelson, who served as Starmer’s ambassador to Washington from December 2024 until his dismissal in September 2025, had maintained contact with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein long after his release from prison [2]. Furthermore, police are investigating emails suggesting Mandelson forwarded sensitive internal financial discussions to Epstein following the 2008 banking crash [2].

The Mandelson Connection

The scandal has exposed significant failures in the government’s vetting procedures. McSweeney accepted “full responsibility” for pushing the appointment despite reported warnings from security services and senior colleagues, including Foreign Secretary David Lammy, regarding Mandelson’s links to Epstein and China [1][4]. The controversy is compounded by financial questions; reports indicate that upon his dismissal as ambassador, Mandelson received an exit settlement estimated between £38,750 and £55,000, a figure currently under review by the Foreign Office [4]. In his resignation letter, McSweeney emphasized that the vetting process “must now be fundamentally overhauled,” noting that this reform must be a “safeguard for the future” rather than a mere gesture [1].

Political Fallout and Opposition Surge

Opposition leaders have seized on the departure to question the Prime Minister’s authority. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch remarked that while McSweeney’s exit was overdue, Starmer must “take responsibility for his own terrible decisions” rather than attributing blame solely to advisors [1][4]. Simultaneously, the Scottish National Party (SNP) has labeled Starmer a “lame duck leader,” suggesting his position is increasingly untenable [3]. The instability at Downing Street comes as Reform UK polls ahead of both major parties, with Reform officials predicting that Starmer will not survive the loss of his key lieutenant [5]. Nigel Farage is expected to capitalize on this disarray during a scheduled speech in Birmingham on Monday [5].

Strategic Vacuum at Number 10

McSweeney’s exit leaves a profound strategic void within the administration. Often described as the “most powerful individual in Britain” and compared to former Tory advisor Dominic Cummings for his aggressive management of party factions, McSweeney was pivotal in shifting Labour’s direction to secure the premiership [6]. His resignation removes the primary architect of Starmer’s political operation at a moment when the government is struggling to counter a “permanent campaign” from a resurgent right wing [6]. While Starmer thanked McSweeney for his “dedication, loyalty and leadership,” the loss of his closest aide introduces acute uncertainty regarding the government’s ability to stabilize its agenda and regain public trust [1].

Sources

UK Politics Government Stability