Sir Keir Starmer is fighting to save his premiership after his two most senior Downing Street aides resigned within 48 hours over the Peter Mandelson scandal, and the leader of Scottish Labour became the first senior Labour figure to publicly call on the prime minister to quit. Starmer has refused to step down, insisting he will honour the five-year mandate voters gave him.
Two resignations in 48 hours
Morgan McSweeney, Starmer's chief of staff and one of the architects of Labour's 2024 general election victory, resigned on Sunday, saying he took full responsibility for advising Starmer to appoint Peter Mandelson as the UK's ambassador to the United States.
"The decision to appoint Peter Mandelson was wrong. He has damaged our party, our country and trust in politics itself. When asked, I advised the prime minister to make that appointment and I take full responsibility for that advice."
"In public life responsibility must be owned when it matters most, not just when it is most convenient," McSweeney added. "In the circumstances, the only honourable course is to step aside."
On Monday, communications director Tim Allan followed him out of the door, saying: "I have decided to stand down to allow a new No. 10 team to be built. I wish the PM and his team every success." Allan, a former adviser to Tony Blair, had taken up the Downing Street communications role in September 2025.
The Mandelson-Epstein connection
Mandelson was appointed ambassador to Washington in late 2024 and dismissed in September 2025 after emails surfaced in which he called the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein his "best pal" and urged him to "fight for early release" from prison in 2008.
US Justice Department files released on January 30 revealed the full extent of Mandelson's ties to Epstein, showing that their contact continued after Epstein's 2008 conviction. The disclosures suggest Mandelson may have shared market-sensitive government information with Epstein while serving as Business Secretary during the 2009-2010 financial crisis, and include records of payments totalling roughly $74,000 made between 2003 and 2004 to Mandelson or his husband. Police raided two of Mandelson's homes as part of the investigation, and the Metropolitan Police are examining whether he committed misconduct in public office.
Calls for Starmer to go — and his refusal
The resignations intensified pressure that was already mounting. Anas Sarwar, the leader of Scottish Labour, became the first senior Labour figure to break ranks publicly, calling on Starmer to resign on Monday and saying "the situation in Downing Street is not good enough." Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch called McSweeney's resignation "overdue" and said "Keir Starmer has to take responsibility for his own terrible decisions," while Reform UK leader Nigel Farage predicted that "Starmer's time will soon be up."
Starmer, however, has shown no intention of quitting. Addressing Downing Street staff on Monday morning, he was described by his spokesman as "upbeat" and "confident." He told his team: "I have been absolutely clear that I regret the decision that I made to appoint Peter Mandelson. And I've apologised to the victims which is the right thing to do." Cabinet ministers rallied behind him in public statements, and Downing Street said: "Keir Starmer is one of only four Labour Party leaders to have ever won a general election. He has a clear five-year mandate from the British people to bring about change, and that is what he will do."
Whether that is enough remains to be seen. With Labour MPs preparing for a confrontational meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party, Starmer's survival now depends on whether his backbenchers accept that the resignations of his two closest aides draw a line under the scandal — or decide the responsibility lies with the prime minister himself.
Watch: Sky News report — "Government in 'freefall' following Morgan McSweeney's exit," with Sky political editor Beth Rigby on how McSweeney's resignation over the Peter Mandelson scandal has left Number 10 reeling.
Music in this post's reel: Kevin MacLeod - Volatile Reaction (incompetech.com), licensed under CC BY 3.0
Sources: The Times; Daily Mirror; Associated Press via Europesays