The ghost of Jeffrey Epstein has claimed another political career, this time in the heart of Downing Street. Morgan McSweeney has resigned as Chief of Staff, admitting that his advice to bring Peter Mandelson back into the fold was a "catastrophic error" of judgment.

It was supposed to be the masterstroke that brought experience and gravitas to a new government. Instead, the appointment of Lord Mandelson as US Ambassador has turned into a radioactive scandal. McSweeney, the tactical genius behind the throne, has been forced to fall on his sword to protect the Prime Minister. In his resignation statement, he was blunt: "The decision was wrong. He has damaged our party, our country, and trust in politics itself." These are not the words of a man leaving quietly; they are the words of a man trying to scrub a stain off the administration before it becomes permanent.

The Toxic Legacy

The scandal revolves around Mandelson's undisclosed or minimized links to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. New files suggest the relationship was far deeper than previously admitted. For Starmer, who campaigned on a platform of integrity and "cleaning up politics," this is a nightmare. By relying on McSweeney's advice to appoint Mandelson, he effectively invited the Epstein scandal into the Foreign Office.

• The Vetting Failure: How did this happen? Questions are being asked about the vetting process. Did McSweeney ignore red flags in his eagerness to utilize Mandelson's networks? The resignation suggests the answer is yes.
• The Trust Deficit: The public is weary of sleaze. To see a Labour government entangled in the same kind of ethical quagmire that sank the Tories is a bitter pill for voters.
• The Fallout: Mandelson is gone. McSweeney is gone. But the questions remain. Who else knew? And why was the Prime Minister so easily persuaded to overlook the risks?

Cleaning House

Starmer is now in damage control mode. The resignation of his top aide is meant to draw a line under the affair. "We are resetting," officials claim. But the Mandelson curse is hard to shake. It is a reminder that in politics, your friends can be more dangerous than your enemies.

Morgan McSweeney built a government, but he couldn't save it from the ghosts of the past. His departure is a warning to every power broker in Westminster: integrity is not just a slogan; it is the only currency that matters when the bill comes due.