UK Cabinet Secretary Wormald resigns

The political crisis in the UK is growing over Prime Minister Keir Starmer's 2024 appointment of Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador, given Mandelson's close ties to the late US billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who was found dead in prison while awaiting trial on charges of running a sex trafficking ring. Following the resignation of Starmer's chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, in the wake of developments regarding Mandelson's links to Epstein in US Department of Justice documents, another high-level official has stepped down. Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald, responsible for civil service management, announced that he had agreed with Starmer to step down, stating, "It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as a civil servant for the last 35 years. Leading the civil service as Cabinet Secretary has also been a distinct honor."

Prime Minister Starmer thanked Wormald, saying, "I am very grateful for his long and distinguished career in public service spanning over 35 years, and for the support he has given me over the past year. I have agreed with him today that he will step down from his role as Cabinet Secretary. I wish him the very best for the future."

The duties of the Cabinet Secretary will be shared by Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Office Catherine Little, Permanent Secretary of the Home Office Dame Antonia Romeo, and Permanent Secretary of the Treasury James Bowler until a new appointment is made to the seat in the near future.

Wormald had assumed the position, described as the most senior civil servant role in the UK, in December 2024.

Starmer's chief of staff had resigned

In recent days, Starmer's chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, announced that he had resigned from his post due to the role he played in the appointment of Mandelson as the UK's Ambassador to the US. McSweeney had been the target of criticism for pushing for Mandelson's appointment to the position, despite the fact that his relationship with Epstein was known to the public at the time. McSweeney had stated that he did not conduct the security vetting during the appointment process but wanted to take "full responsibility" for recommending this appointment to the prime minister.

Mandelson's correspondence with Epstein had surfaced

It was revealed in newly disclosed correspondence from the Epstein documents that Mandelson, a key figure in British politics, had leaked a significant amount of state information. It emerged that while Mandelson was serving as Secretary of State for Business and Trade in Gordon Brown's government in 2009, he told Epstein that the head of JP Morgan bank should "gently threaten" the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer over tax plans regarding banker bonuses; that he tipped off Epstein in advance about a 500 billion euro bailout package prepared by the EU during the eurozone debt crisis; that Epstein sent a total of 75,000 dollars to Lord Mandelson in 2003 and 2004, with 25,000 dollars each time; and that Epstein sent 10,000 pounds to Lord Mandelson's partner, Reinaldo Avila da Silva.