Starmer’s communications chief resigns, adding to UK PM’s woes

LONDON: The director of communications for Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain resigned Monday, adding to a sense of crisis for the govt and growing questions about Starmer’s leadership.The communications director, Tim Allan, a veteran political operative who only joined Starmer’s govt about five months ago, quit less than 24 hours after Morgan McSweeney stepped down as the PM’s chief of staff over ties between Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender, and Britain’s former ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson.McSweeney resigned after acknowledging that he had urged Starmer to appoint Mandelson to the post in late 2024.Allan, a longtime friend of Mandelson who worked with him when Tony Blair was prime minister in the 1990s, said in a statement, “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,” he added.The decision to appoint Mandelson is at the centre of a political crisis that threatens to bring down Starmer’s premiership. Files released by the US justice department revealed that Mandelson and Epstein had a longer and closer friendship than was previously known. The documents appear to show when Mandelson was a member of govt in 2009, he sent confidential and market-sensitive information to Epstein, including an internal email sent to Gordon Brown, the prime minister at the time, outlining a potential sale of govt assets. “Interesting note that’s gone to the PM,” Mandelson wrote. And in May 2010, the emails indicate, Mandelson gave Epstein advance notice that a bailout of 500 billion euros (about $600 billion) had been agreed to tackle the eurozone crisis. Epstein wrote, “Sources tell me 500 b euro bailout, almost complte,” misspelling the word complete. Mandelson replied, “Sd be announced tonight.”Mandelson also sought advice from Epstein about setting up an advisory and consultancy firm and about how to attract clients, and the emails suggest Epstein made tens of thousands of dollars of payments to Mandelson.Critics and allies of Starmer have demanded to know what he knew about the relationship between the two men when he appointed Mandelson to the post. The PM has insisted Mandelson lied about the extent of his ties to Epstein. In a speech to his staff Monday morning, Starmer once again lashed out at the former ambassador.“The thing that makes me most angry is the undermining of the belief that politics can be a force for good and can change lives,” Starmer said in a speech to staff at No. 10 Downing St., according to a readout from political aides of the closed-door speech.“I have been absolutely clear I regret the decision that I made to appoint Peter Mandelson,” the PM added. “And I’ve apologised to the victims, which is the right thing to do.” Starmer also vowed to continue working to carry out the agenda of Labour Party, which won an overwhelming majority 18 months ago, ending more than 14 years of government by the Conservative Party. Starmer’s aides said at a briefing the PM did not intend to resign. “We go forward from here,” Starmer said in his speech to staff. “We go with confidence as we continue changing the country.” nyt