British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, has resigned over his role in the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States.
McSweeney, who is often credited with orchestrating Starmer’s rise to power and being his closest strategist, took full responsibility for his role in the disgraced peer’s appointment, even though he knew of Mandelson’s links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The current chief of staff criticized the security services for failing to properly vet such an important appointment, adding: “The decision to appoint Mandelson was a mistake. He damaged our party, our country and trust in politics.”
His resignation comes amid growing pressure, even from Labor MPs, on the British prime minister to resign. Labor MP for Alloa and Grangemouth, Brian Leishman, said: “There needs to be a change in political direction and it comes from the top. »
A York MP speculated that McSweeney’s resignation was just the beginning. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, potentially positioning himself for a future leadership bid, made it clear that he had advised Starmer against nominating Mandelson.
However, sources reveal that Prime Minister Starmer is planning to deliver an emergency speech to the nation to announce his political clean-up plan and an apparent signal to financial markets that he intends to stay in power.
He is also expected to address MPs at the Labor Party parliamentary meeting. Allies have warned that forcing the prime minister to resign just 18 months after the party’s victory could plunge the country into turmoil.
