Nigel Farage has predicted that Sir Keir Starmer will “not be far behind” after leaving his chief of staff post. Morgan McSweeney resigned as Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister after coming under intense pressure over the Lord Peter Mandelson affair.
Responding in a post on X, the Reform leader said, “As predicted, McSweeney is gone. Labour is only continuing the chaos we saw under the Tories. My money says Starmer will not be far behind after Labour’s disaster in the coming May elections.”
In his exit statement, Mr McSweeney said the decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as US ambassador was “wrong” and he took “full responsibility” for advising Sir Keir on how to proceed.
The colleague was sacked last year over her ties to notorious paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
But a fresh investigation has started after new documents surfaced that when he was a minister in the government, he had leaked information to the infamous financier.
Mr McSweeney said, “After careful thought, I have decided to resign from the government. The decision to appoint Peter Mandelson was wrong. He has damaged confidence in our party, our country, and politics.”
“When asked, I advised the Prime Minister to make that appointment and I take full responsibility for that advice. Responsibility in public life must be taken when it matters most, not just when it is most convenient. In these circumstances, the only honourable course is to step aside.”
“This is not an effortless decision. Much has been written and said about me over the years, but my motivation has always been simple: I have worked every day to elect and support a government that puts ordinary people’s lives first and leads us to a better future for our great country. Only a Labour government will do that.
“I am proud of what I have accomplished and regretful about the circumstances of my departure. But I have always believed that there come moments when you must accept responsibility and step aside for a greater cause.”
Sir Keir expressed.
Sir Keir expressed a “debt of gratitude” to Mr. McSweeney and credited his “dedication, loyalty, and leadership” with Labour’s 2024 general election victory.
The Prime Minister said, “It has been an honour to work with Morgan McSweeney for many years. She turned our party around after its worst-ever defeat and played a central role in running our election campaign. “It is largely thanks to her dedication, loyalty, and leadership that we won a landslide majority and have the chance to transform the country.”
“Having worked closely with Morgan in opposition and government, I have seen his commitment to the Labour Party and our country every day. Our party and I are indebted to him, and I thank him for his service.”
