Morgan McSweeney summoned to bombshell Commons listening to on Mandelson scandal
Morgan McSweeney dramatically quit in February for advising the PM to appoint Peter Mandelson as US ambassador after a backlash over the peer’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein
Morgan McSweeney will be summoned before MPs for a grilling next week(Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
Keir Starmer’s former top aide Morgan McSweeney will be hauled before MPs next week as the Prime Minister battles to curb the fallout from the Peter Mandelson scandal.
Mr McSweeney dramatically quit in February, saying he took “full responsibility” for advising the PM to appoint Lord Mandelson as US ambassador as No10 was plunged into turmoil by the backlash over the peer’s ties to notorious paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The powerful behind-the-scenes operator has now been summoned to give evidence to the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee in a rare public appearance.
A defiant Mr Starmer came out swinging today as the row over Lord Mandelson’s vetting shows no sign of abating. In a tense exchange at PMQs, Kemi Badenoch said the PM must “finally take responsibility and go”. But the PM said the Tory leader been “wrong, wrong, wrong” since it emerged last week that UK Security Vetting (UKSV) had recommended refusing Lord Mandelson top clearance before he was sent to Washington.
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The PM said: “The Leader of the Opposition claimed on Friday that Mandelson could not have been cleared against security advice. She was wrong about that. She said that ministers must have been told. She was wrong about that. She claimed there was deliberate dishonesty. She was wrong about that. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
“She rushed to judgment, as she always did, just like the Iran war.” He added: “I was elected by the British people because they let the country down for 14 long years. Whatever she says, whatever noise they make, nothing is going to distract me from delivering for our country.”
But he was forced to admit that No10 sought a plum diplomatic post for his spin chief Matthew Doyle last year. The explosive allegation was first made by sacked Foreign Office chief Sir Olly Robbins, who said he was ordered to keep the Foreign Secretary in the dark.
The PM told MPs: “Matthew Doyle worked for many years in public service, for me as prime minister and other ministers. When people leave roles in any organisation there are often conversations about other roles they want to apply for, but nothing came of this.”
Lord Doyle was made a peer instead but was suspended by Labour in February over his ties to a convicted sex offender. He said on Wednesday that he had not sought a diplomatic post and had been unaware of the conversations.
Mr Starmer sacked Sir Olly last week after discovering he had not been informed that the Foreign Office had sent Lord Mandelson to Washington despite security officials raising concerns about his vetting. But the top mandarin insisted he was right not to pass the information on and accused No10 of a “dismissive” attitude to vetting, and said pressure had been piled on his department to fast-track the appointment.
The PM’s decision to sack Sir Olly appears to have sparked unease in his top team. Pat McFadden, one of his closest allies, repeatedly refused to say if he thought the decision was fair.
Mr McFadden said he thought “very highly” of Sir Olly but told Times Radio: “I think if the Prime Minister’s made the judgment that he’s not got confidence in the head of the Foreign Office, the head of the foreign service, then it’s difficult to continue.” Pressed again, he said: “Look, it’s the Prime Minister’s judgment.”
Several top ministers, including Rachel Reeves and Wes Streeting, are said to warned against picking fights with the civil service at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
Downing Street said the PM was confident he has the full backing of the Cabinet. Asked if he was worried about a lack of support from MPs, Mr Starmer’s political spokesman said: “No.” The Government is focused on “delivering for working people” including on the cost of living and cutting NHS waiting lists, he added.
The timing of the row is a nightmare for No10 as it comes only two weeks ahead of a make-or-break set of local elections. And the saga looks set to drag on as MPs will grill Cat Little, the top official at the Cabinet Office, on Thursday. Sir Olly’s predecessor at the Foreign Office, Sir Philip Barton, is also among the senior mandarins summoned to give evidence.
