UK Prime Ministers Top Aide Resigns Over Association with Jeffrey Epstein

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, has resigned from his position after files revealed the extent of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In a statement, McSweeney stated that he had decided to resign due to the decision to appoint Mandelson as ambassador to the United States.

Mandelson was appointed despite new evidence emerging about his connection to Epstein, which has damaged the Labour Party and trust in politics. McSweeney advised the Prime Minister on the appointment and takes full responsibility for the decision.

Labour members of parliament had called for McSweeney’s resignation due to concerns over background checks for Mandelson’s ambassadorship. The US Department of Justice released documents and photos from an investigation into Epstein, which revealed crude exchanges between Mandelson and the financier.

Mandelson was sacked by Starmer in September over his friendship with Epstein and has since quit the Labour Party and House of Lords. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is reviewing an exit payment made to him after he was fired.

Documents released on January 30 showed that Mandelson had allegedly leaked confidential UK government information to Epstein during his time as a British minister, including during the 2008 financial crisis. The Foreign Office has launched a review into Mandelson’s severance payment in light of further information revealed and an ongoing police investigation.

Mandelson’s lawyers have stated that he regrets his association with Epstein and will regret it until his dying day. They claim that Mandelson did not discover the truth about Epstein until after his death in 2019 and is sorry for the harm caused to vulnerable women and girls.

The departure of McSweeney has raised questions about the future direction of the government, which won a large parliamentary majority just over a year ago. With polls showing Starmer’s popularity is low, some within his party are questioning his judgment and future in office.

Source: Al Jazeera