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Snapshot 6:Mon, Feb 9, 2026 11:10:43 AM GMT last edited by ArthursSeat22

UK: Downing Street Chief of Staff Resigns Over Mandelson Appointment

UK: StarmerDowning AppealsStreet to Labour MPs as Chief of Staff Resigns Over Mandelson Appointment

UK: Downing Street Chief of Staff Resigns Over Mandelson Appointment
Above: Former Downing Street chief of staff Morgan McSweeney in London on Oct. 6, 2025. Image credit: Leon Neal/Getty Images

The Spin

Starmer may have made a mistake in his appointment of Mandelson, but the departure of his closest political ally shows the accountability and integrity needed to turn this premiership around and clean out the rot inside Westminster. Despite the dramatic appeal, this is no moment for a leadership change it is time to let the dust settle and allow Starmer to fulfilfulfill what he was elected to do.

Starmer is toast. Without McSweeney, the real leader of this government and a close ally of Peter Mandelson, thea vacuous Prime Minister renowned for lacking his own political ideology has neither the ideas nor the support to run the country. 18 months of the Starmer project has delivered nothing but u-turns, scandals and undelivered promises. It is time to make a change for the sake of the nation before it is too late.

Metaculus Prediction

There is a 45% chance that Starmer will cease to be U.K. Prime Minister during 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.


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© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.0

© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.

All rights reserved.

Version 6.18.0