I made 'serious mistake' advising Starmer to appoint Mandelson, PM's ex-top adviser says
Morgan McSweeney, the former chief of staff to the Prime Minister, admitted he made a serious mistake in advising the appointment of Lord Mandelson as the UK's ambassador to the US. He expressed regret after revelations about Mandelson's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein emerged, stating he was not given the full truth during the vetting process. The controversy surrounding Mandelson's appointment has continued to impact the Prime Minister's administration, leading to calls for further investigation.
- ▪Morgan McSweeney resigned after recommending Lord Mandelson for the ambassador role.
- ▪New information about Mandelson's relationship with Epstein raised concerns about his suitability.
- ▪MPs rejected calls for a parliamentary investigation into the vetting process for Mandelson.
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I made 'serious mistake' advising Starmer to appoint Mandelson, PM's ex-top adviser says28 April 2026ShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleBecky MortonPolitical reporter"Like a knife through my soul"; Morgan McSweeney on learning extent of Mandelson/Epstein relationshipThe PM's former chief of staff has said he made "a serious mistake" in recommending the appointment of Lord Mandelson as the UK's ambassador to the US.Morgan McSweeney, who resigned in February over the advice, said he felt the peer's experience as an EU trade envoy would help the UK secure a US trade deal.However, he told MPs on the Foreign Affairs Committee that after fresh revelations about Lord Mandelson's friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein emerged, it "dawned" on him that he had not given the…
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