I made 'serious mistake' advising Starmer to appoint Mandelson, PM's ex-top adviser McSweeney says
Summary
The UK's former prime minister's chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, said he made a serious error in recommending Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the US because Mandelson did not fully disclose his close ties to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender. Despite some concerns raised during security checks, Lord Mandelson was approved for the role but was later dismissed after new information about his relationship with Epstein became public.Key Facts
- Morgan McSweeney resigned in February over recommending Lord Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US.
- Mandelson's appointment was meant to help secure a US trade deal due to his EU trade experience.
- New information showed Mandelson had a closer connection to Jeffrey Epstein than he admitted.
- The Foreign Office granted Mandelson security clearance despite warnings from vetting officials.
- The prime minister and Downing Street staff said they were unaware Foreign Office ignored vetting concerns until recently.
- Mandelson was removed from his ambassador role in September 2025 after the revelations.
- A due diligence check flagged Mandelson's link to Epstein as a reputational risk before his appointment.
- Officials felt pressured to complete Mandelson’s vetting quickly before President Trump’s inauguration.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.