As Lib Dem leader Ed Davey rightly said, the ‘original sin’ of the Mandelson vetting scandal was that the Labour peer was put up for the role of US ambassador in the first place.   This point was hammered home by Dame Emily Thornberry during the grilling of Morgan McSweeney in the House of Commons today, where she pressed him about the attempts to give the former director of communications, Lord Matthew Doyle, a comfortable ambassadorial role.   Dame Emily hit out: “Haven't you heard of the phrase jobs for the boys?”  She added it was “shameful” that Downing Street even considered giving someone a landing spot after they were sacked.   Matthew Doyle was suspended for his association with a charged distributor of indecent images of children.  However, Dame Emily’s argument also rings true for the controversial behaviour of Morgan McSweeney in trying to secure Mandelson the Washington job.   Although McSweeney is attempting to rebut out against the tight-knit caricature of his relationship with Mandelson - their longstanding political allyship is unquestionable.  Mandelson and McSweeney both started their political careers at Lambeth council – originally one of New Labour’s success stories, but by 2002 it took a hard fight from McSweeney to retake it from the Conservativesand Liberal Democrats.   They were reintroduced later in their political lives by Labour peer Roger Liddle – another Lambeth council veteran – in 2017, the pair remained in very regular contact up until Mandelson was sacked as ambassador.  Both men had their political differences but were united in their professional interest to win against the Labour left and destroy it.    They also were both able to exercise significant influence through their respective lobbying firm and think tank – Global Counsel and Labour Together.   With this in mind, it then becomes less surprising that McSweeney helped place the man he once described as a mentor into one of the most prestigious roles in government – despite the already known controversies of Mandelson’s career and concerns about his character.   With the help of McSweeney’s Labour Together, Keir Starmer became leader of the Labour Party in April 2020 – with McSweeney as his Chief of Staff by 2024.  Despite Mandelson's brutal criticisms of Starmer, he remained in proximity to the leader through his relationship with McSweeney – Mandelson's growing influence raised red flags in Labour HQ, with staffer Simon Fletcher saying he was alarmed to learn of Mandelsons growing influence.   Mandelson was also a regular attendee of the Sunday supper club held at Liddle’s home – frequent guests also included McSweeney and Doyle.   Sue Gray, Starmer’s then Chief of Staff, was concerned about Mandelson’s growing influence, one staffer said: “She knew he was after a job, she took him off the shortlist to be ambassador.”  Mandelson, who had been forced to resign in 1998 as trade and industry secretary, and 2001 as Northern Ireland secretary, was then appointed as US ambassador in December 2024.   Most employers, after an individual has been sacked from their organisation twice, would not think to rehire them for a third time and appoint them in one of their highest positions possible – however, this clearly is part of the culture of Starmer's Downing Street.   Despite the aghast looks of McSweeney in the House of Commons today – Emma Thornberry's accusation of a ‘jobs for the boys’ culture was not unfair – as how did such a controversial politician like Mandelson make itso far? And how on earth was disgraced Doyle considered for a diplomatic role?   This is not the first time that Starmer's government has faced such accusations, only in February did cabinet member, Lisa Nandy, suggest Labour had bee...