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McSweeney's position is clearly untenable
Friday 6 February 2026 at 14:04
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If you want to know the problems that Keir Starmer faces over Peter Mandelson then a good place to start is The New Statesman.
In a feature written for this week's edition by Ailbhe Rea she writes about Mandelson's appointment as Ambassador to the United States that:
""what was known was enough" to decide against appoint him to high office, in the view of one person familiar with the decision-making process.
"According to multiple insiders, McSweeney was the driving force pushing Mandelson. And seomwhere along the way, Starmer's mind changed away from (George) Osbourne. On 20 December, Mandelson was announced as the new US ambassador."
One can expect Rea's sourcing to be impeccable. It's clear that Morgan McSweeney's position is untenable and he must be gone very soon. The question is whether Starmer must go the same way?
McSweeney's position is clearly untenable
If you want to know the problems that Keir Starmer faces over Peter Mandelson then a good place to start is The New Statesman.
In a feature written for this week's edition by Ailbhe Rea she writes about Mandelson's appointment as Ambassador to the United States that:
""what was known was enough" to decide against appoint him to high office, in the view of one person familiar with the decision-making process.
"According to multiple insiders, McSweeney was the driving force pushing Mandelson. And seomwhere along the way, Starmer's mind changed away from (George) Osbourne. On 20 December, Mandelson was announced as the new US ambassador."
One can expect Rea's sourcing to be impeccable. It's clear that Morgan McSweeney's position is untenable and he must be gone very soon. The question is whether Starmer must go the same way?