What now? The prime minister has indicated that he will move to strengthen vetting processes and toughen up rules on lobbying, following revelations that Epstein used Lord Mandelson as a conduit for influence and inside information. Such reforms are overdue, as Gordon Brown has long argued. But the significance of Mr McSweeney’s exit – followed on Monday by the resignation of Sir Keir’s fourth Downing Street communications director, Tim Allan – goes deeper than the Mandelson scandal, appalling as that has been.