UK Parliament/ PAThe Metropolitan Police have arrested a man on suspicion of selling a phone which belonged to Morgan McSweeney at a time when he was the prime minister's chief of staff.
In a statement, the police said officers investigating the theft of a mobile phone in Pimlico, London, in October 2025 had 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 theft of McSweeney's government phone came to light earlier this year, as the government was publishing documents about the appointment of Lord Mandelson as the UK's ambassador to the US.
McSweeney was an ally of Lord Mandelson and advised the prime minister to select him for the diplomatic role – something which he has since said was a mistake in light of the peer's longstanding relationship with the convicted sex offender Jeffery Epstein.
It is thought his phone could contain messages that provide further information on the process that led to the appointment.
