Morgan McSweeney has resigned as chief of staff to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, according to Sky News and journalists at The Guardian.
Sky News reports that McSweeney had exerted strong pressure for Peter Mandelson to be appointed as ambassador to the United States.
His departure comes just weeks after Starmer lost two other close aides: policy director Paul Ovenden and communications chief Steph Driver.
In his resignation statement, McSweeney said: “When I was asked, I advised the prime minister to proceed with this appointment, and I take full responsibility for that advice.
“In public life, responsibility must be taken when it matters most, not only when it is convenient. In these circumstances, the only honourable course is for me to step aside.”
McSweeney’s resignation is widely seen as an attempt to defuse a political crisis that has sent shockwaves through Westminster.
In his full resignation letter, he wrote:
“After careful consideration, I have decided to resign from government.
“The decision to appoint Peter Mandelson was a mistake. It caused damage to our party, to our country and to the public’s trust in politics.
“When asked, I advised the Prime Minister to go ahead with this appointment and I take full responsibility for that advice.
“In public life, responsibility must be taken when it matters most, not only when it is more convenient. In the present circumstances, the only honourable option is to step aside.
“This was not an easy decision. Much has been written and said about me over the years, but my motivations were always simple: I worked every day to elect and support a government that puts the lives of ordinary people first and leads our country towards a better future.
“Only a Labour government can achieve that. I leave with pride in what we have achieved, mixed with sadness at the circumstances of my departure.
“I have always believed there are moments when you must take responsibility and step back for the greater good.
“As I leave, I have two further thoughts.
“First, and most importantly, we must remember the women and girls whose lives were destroyed by Jeffrey Epstein, and whose voices were ignored for far too long.
“Second, although I did not oversee the vetting and assessment process, I believe that process must now be radically reviewed.
“I continue to fully support the Prime Minister. He works every day to rebuild trust, restore standards and serve the country. I will continue to support that mission in any way I can. It was the honour of my life to serve.”
(information from cnn.gr)
