Cork man McSweeney resigns as Starmer’s chief of staff over Mandelson scandal

Macroom native accepts responsibility for advising Keir Starmer on controversial Mandelson appointment amid growing Labour Party anger

Downing Street chief of staff Morgan McSweeney arrives into Downing Street. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Cork man Morgan McSweeney has resigned as chief of staff to British prime minister Keir Starmer after coming under fire in the Peter Mandelson scandal.

Mr McSweeney — who is originally from Macroom — faced intensifying calls from within the Labour Party to go after being blamed by many for pushing the appointment of his ally Mr Mandelson as ambassador to the US, despite knowing that his dealings with Jeffrey Epstein continued after the financier’s conviction for child sex offences.