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I made 'serious mistake' advising Starmer to appoint Mandelson, PM's ex-top adviser says
Key takeaways
- Becky Morton Political reporter House of Commons The PM's former chief of staff has said he made "a serious mistake" in recommending the appointment of Lord Mandelson as the UK's ambassador to the US.
- Morgan Mc Sweeney, who resigned in February over the advice, said he felt the peer's experience as an EU trade envoy would help the UK secure a US trade deal.
- McSweeney admitted No 10 wanted Lord Mandelson in post "quickly" but insisted officials were never asked to "skip steps".
Why this matters: a developing story that could shape the day's news cycle.
Becky Morton Political reporter House of Commons The PM's former chief of staff has said he made "a serious mistake" in recommending the appointment of Lord Mandelson as the UK's ambassador to the US.
Morgan Mc Sweeney, who resigned in February over the advice, said he felt the peer's experience as an EU trade envoy would help the UK secure a US trade deal.
However, he told MPs on the Foreign Affairs Committee that after fresh revelations about Lord Mandelson's friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein emerged it "dawned" on him that the peer had not given the "full truth" about their friendship.
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