It’s an Irishman abroad dominating the political headlines as a new week dawns.
Cork native Morgan McSweeney bought his boss a little time yesterday – stepping down as Keir Starmer’s chief of staff.
McSweeney said it was he who recommended Peter Mandelson get the job as British ambassador to the United States.
The extent of Mandelson’s connections to the dead billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have put the British prime minister’s head on the chopping block. The most recent file dump in Washington raised suspicions that when he was a minister during the financial crisis, Mandelson may have leaked market-sensitive information to Epstein – such was their closeness.
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McSweeney made clear in his statement he had nothing to do with the clearly inadequate vetting process that failed to pick up on the true nature of the relationship between the two men.
With Starmer reportedly due to address the Labour parliamentary party, the prime minister is far from safety, it seems.
Many Labour backbenchers have excruciating anxiety about the upcoming local elections in May – and plummeting poll ratings.
And there is unlikely to be any let-up from the British opposition.
Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch welcomed McSweeney’s departure, but said Starmer should “take responsibility” for his actions. It was Starmer who made the final call on Mandelson’s appointment, after all.
Meanwhile In Brussels and Munich, the anxiety levels will also be pushing the dial this week.
The Europeans meet to again discuss whether the continent can continue to rely on the yanks, where all the money is going to come from and what to do with the trade agreement that was put on ice during the Greenland farrago.
On Wednesday, the European Union’s foreign affairs council will sit down with Ukraine’s newly appointed defence minister to consider ongoing military support for that country in its fight against Russian invasion.
Of course, here at home there has been much debate about increased financial support for Ukraine recently.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has been campaigning to make more money available for “non-lethal military aid” – its top man says Ireland’s contribution to date is below that of other European states.
On Thursday European leaders, including Micheál Martin, will reportedly be “locked away” in a 16th-century castle in the Belgian countryside for an economic conflab. As they hunker down, they will be briefed by the European Parliament president Roberta Metsola on the status of that trade deal. A new vote on the deal by MEPs is expected next month.
Also in attendance will be the man who is credited with saving the euro back in the day – “Super” Mario Draghi. The former president of the European Central Bank – and, more recently, author of a rescue plan for Europe’s faltering economies – will be there to again outline his vision for approaching a more challenging future.
As they peer over the ramparts, we are told, all assembled will be keeping an eye out not just for our American cousins but for the Chinese and their trade practices too.
And then for a nice gentle wind-down, it’s on to Munich for European bigwigs on Friday – last year’s scene of much wailing and gnashing of teeth. When the Americans previously turned up for the Munich Security Conference, they did the whole new-sheriff-in-town routine.
US vice-president JD Vance’s speech was a broadside against Europe’s handling of migration and issues of free speech that sent heads spinning.
This year, the usually more restrained figure of Marco Rubio is scheduled to make an appearance. The US secretary of state is the closest thing the White House has to a European horse-whisperer – so maybe the 2026 edition will be a more sedate and predictable affair.
Attendees will again be told they need to spend loads more money on defence – because you wouldn’t know what Vladimir Putin would be up to.
Another world leader you couldn’t be sure about is Donald Trump. Some Democrats are getting worked up about the prospect of the US president perhapstrying to suppress the vote in November’s midterm elections. As he senses that not everyone is that keen on his policies right now, they warn, there could be plans afoot to overturn a bad result.
Speaking of results, the outcome of the 60th NFL Super Bowl, seems almost secondary to the US culture war stuff today.
Trump didn’t show up because he doesn’t like half-time performer Bad Bunny – and he posted as much on his Truth Social platform. “One of the worst ever,” said Donald. The White House much preferred the alternative Maga half-time show, which was broadcast at the same time with a performance by Kid Rock and dedicated to the slain Charlie Kirk.
Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots 29-13.
