Labor MPs say Keir Starmer's days as British prime minister are coming to an end amid anger over the Peter Mandelson Epstein dossier scandal. MPs say the announcement of Mandelson's appointment as British ambassador to the US could cause leadership problems within the party (and therefore the British government).
British Labor Party MPs have warned that Keir Starmer's days as prime minister are numbered after a day of anger over his appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US despite his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, The Guardian writes.
The government was on the brink of defeat in the House of Commons until midway through the debate, brokered by Meg Hiller and Angela Rayner, an amendment was passed demanding the release of documents about Mandelson's appointment and his deep ties to the convicted child molester and American financier.
MPs said the release of the documents could be delayed by the police investigation into Mandelson, which could cause problems with the party and national leadership. “We need all the toxins out,” said one of the deputies.
A former minister said: “We have had many bad days recently, but I think this is the worst day,” while another lawmaker warned: “Confidence is not limitless. Personally, I'm not sure if I can support the Prime Minister in a vote of confidence.”
“The most extreme sentiment is among the ultra-loyalists,” said one Labor Party member of parliament, elected in 2024.
MPs said Starmer's admission that he knew about Mandelson's friendship with Epstein before his appointment was a moment of clarity.
“You can feel the atmosphere changing; it's getting darker,” said one MP who was formerly close to Starmer. No 10 Downing Street later said that the Prime Minister was said to only know about what was already known to the public. “This is simply unjustified,” said one of the delegates. “They knew everything about Peter's relationship with Epstein, but they still gave him the job.”
Another former minister said: “We should not have done this. It's time to start again, and the sooner the better.”
10 Downing Street said it hopes the documents will prove Mandelson lied about the depth of his relationship with the disgraced financier. But on Wednesday night, the Metropolitan Police said it was blocking the release of certain documents in case they compromised criminal investigations into Mandelson's apparent sharing of secret government documents with Epstein.
Downing Street has previously tried to soften Conservative demands for the release of documents by adding exemptions for national security purposes and the protection of international relations. MPs called the move an “attempted cover-up” and demanded that the decision on the content of the release be made by parliament's intelligence and security committee, rather than the cabinet secretary.
Several MPs told the Guardian it would be “ironic” if Starmer was ousted because of Mandelson's links to Epstein, as they believed in his personal commitment to tackling violence against women and girls.
One person said: “We have never had a prime minister who cares so much about this issue.” “It would be crazy for another man involved with a pedophile to disappoint him, but it's entirely possible.”
On Thursday, Starmer will try to return to his domestic agenda with a speech on the government's “Going the Right Way” programme, which is aimed at replacing the Conservative Party's promotion programme.
Starmer believes plans to invest £5 billion over 10 years in more than 300 deprived areas will help tackle the threat posed by the UK's right-wing populist Reform party. The fund aims to fund regeneration activities such as refurbishing abandoned shops, pubs and libraries.
On Thursday, the Chancellor will announce a further £800m for the scheme, which will allow 40 more places to access the funding, saying: “If you want to know where hope lives in Britain, it is in our communities, where people come together.”
