Police investigating the theft of a mobile phone belonging to Morgan McSweeney, Keir Starmer's former chief of staff, have arrested a 28-year-old man on suspicion of handling stolen goods. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the man was taken into custody on Wednesday 29 April at an address in Peckham, south London, and later released on bail. He is suspected of receiving the government-issued iPhone after it was stolen on 20 October last year and then selling it on, but he is not believed to have been involved in the original theft.
The phone, an iPhone, was stolen shortly before 22:30 on 20 October 2024 in Belgrave Road, Pimlico, London. Despite the arrest, the device has not yet been recovered, raising concerns about the potential loss of sensitive communications, including messages regarding Peter Mandelson's appointment as the UK ambassador to the United States. The whereabouts of McSweeney's correspondence with Mandelson has been under scrutiny since it emerged that the work device was stolen shortly after Mandelson was appointed as ambassador.
Details of the Theft and Investigation
McSweeney, who left his role as Starmer's chief of staff in February 2025, reported the theft to police minutes after it occurred. According to a transcript of the emergency call released by the Met, he described the phone as a government device and mentioned that it had a tracker. However, he did not disclose the sensitivity of its contents or his position as chief of staff at the time. The Met released the transcript in March, a highly unusual step, stating it aimed to correct misreporting of the incident.
The Guardian understands that not all of McSweeney's correspondence has been lost. The Cabinet Office reportedly holds a number of text and email exchanges between McSweeney and Mandelson, preserving some of the communications that might otherwise have been compromised.
A Met spokesperson said: 'Officers investigating the theft of a mobile phone in Belgrave Road, Pimlico, on 20 October 2025 have arrested a 28-year-old man on suspicion of handling stolen goods. The arrest took place on Wednesday 29 April at an address in Peckham. The man was taken into police custody and later bailed. He is suspected of receiving the phone after it was stolen and then selling it on. He is not suspected of any involvement in the original theft. The phone has not been recovered.'
The investigation continues as police seek to trace the phone and any potential security breaches arising from its theft.
