Keir Starmer Facing 'Political Death' As Mandelson Scandal Threatens To Engulf Him

Keir Starmer is fighting for his political life after the row over his decision to make Peter Mandelson the UK’s ambassador to Washington threatens to end his premiership.

The prime minister is facing mounting fury from Labour MPs after confirming that he knew about Mandelson’s ongoing friendship with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein when he gave him the plum diplomatic job.

Starmer made the shocking admission as he endured a torrid prime minister’s questions in the House of Commons.

One Labour MP told HuffPost UK that watching Starmer’s performance was “like being present at the political death of the prime minister”.

“It’s made his position far, far worse,” the MP said. “I couldn’t believe some of his answers. We were aghast.”

In a fresh humiliation for the PM, the government was also forced to U-turn over its plans to publish the behind-the-scenes communications which took place before Mandelson was made ambassador.

Downing Street had initially said that documents relating to national security and the UK’s relations with other countries would remain under wraps.

However, after a major intervention by former deputy PM Angela Rayner, and with the government facing an embarrassing defeat in the Commons, No.10 agreed that MPs on the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) will be allowed to see those papers to decide whether they can be made public.

One MP said: “I’m relieved that we’ve got to a better place but why have we had to go through this?”

The developments left Starmer’s political authority severely damaged and led to veteran left-winger John McDonnell calling on him to think about quitting as PM.

He told ITV News: “I think he really needs to consider his position about how he goes forward on this because this is one of those issues which could not just bring down a prime minister, but bring down a government.

“I think he should consider his track record, is he performing the role responsibly, and I think the responsibility is on his shoulders to think whether he’s doing the right thing by staying on.”

Starmer’s leadership crisis has been triggered by the revelations about the extent of Mandelson’s links to Epstein, which emerged in documents released last weekend by the US Department of Justice.

Mandelson, who was sacked as US ambassador just seven months after Starmer appointed him, is facing a criminal investigation over claims he passed market sensitive information to the billionaire financier when he was business secretary in Gordon Brown’s government.

At PMQs, Starmer said Mandelson – who this week quit the House of Lords – had “betrayed” Britain by his actions.

He also said Mandelson had “lied repeatedly” when being vetted for the ambassador’s role.

“I regret appointing him,” Starmer said. “If I knew then what I know now, he wouldn’t have been anywhere near government.”