UK PM Starmer’s communications chief quits amid Epstein scandal fallout

Tim Allan steps down a day after Starmer’s chief of staff, ‍Morgan McSweeney, ⁠quits, adding pressure on the PM.Published On 9 Feb 2026UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s communications chief Tim Allan has stepped down as leader of the governing Labour Party faces fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.The move on Monday came a day after Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, also quit.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Epstein files set off Norwegian political storm: What we knowlist 2 of 4UK police search Mandelson-linked properties as part of Epstein probelist 3 of 4France’s ex-minister resigns from Arab World Institute over Epstein tieslist 4 of 4UK PM’s top aide quits over Mandelson’s links to Epsteinend of list“I have decided to stand down to allow a new No 10 team to be built,” Allan said in a short statement.Starmer has come under criticism for appointing Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States despite his known links to Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died in an American prison by suicide.The prime minister on Monday emphasised the importance of moving forward after the resignations.“We must prove that ‌politics can be a force ‌for good. I believe it ⁠can. I believe it is. We go forward from here. We ‌go with confidence as we continue changing the country,” Starmer told his Downing Street staff.Meanwhile, his ⁠spokesperson said Starmer has no plans to stand aside. “The prime minister is … getting on ‌with the task of delivering change across the ‌country,” the ‌spokesperson told reporters.Mandelson has been under investigation since his name appeared in files on the Epstein investigation released by the US Justice Department.He was sacked by Starmer in September over his friendship with Epstein and last week also quit the Labour Party and House of Lords, the upper chamber of the UK Parliament. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said it is reviewing an exit payment made to him after he was fired.The prime minister is later expected to address a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party amid anger over his appointment of Mandelson as ambassador to the United States, despite knowing his links with Epstein continued after the financier’s conviction for child sex offences.