Tory Leader Demands Ethics Investigation Into Prime Minister's Statements
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has launched a fierce attack on Prime Minister Keir Starmer, accusing him of repeatedly lying about the controversial appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador. In a dramatic escalation of the political scandal, Mrs Badenoch has called for a formal sleaze inquiry to investigate whether Sir Keir deliberately misled Parliament about the disastrous diplomatic posting.
Missing Documents Fuel Cover-Up Allegations
The Tory leader claims that incriminating documents have been deliberately removed from this week's Mandelson files to protect the Prime Minister's already battered reputation. "I am astonished the Prime Minister can actually look himself in the mirror right now," Mrs Badenoch declared. "It is very clear that he told lie after lie after lie about the appointment of Peter Mandelson. He has been dishonest with Parliament and with the country."
Downing Street finally published the first batch of documents surrounding Mandelson's December 2024 appointment on Wednesday, but the released material has raised more questions than answers. Although the papers confirm Sir Keir was warned about Mandelson's "particularly close" relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, they contain no record of the Prime Minister's response or reasoning.
Labour MPs Urged to Question Leadership
Mrs Badenoch went further, suggesting Labour MPs should reconsider their leader's position. "And Labour MPs, in good conscience, should be looking at whether or not this man should be leading our country," she stated. The Conservatives have formally requested that Sir Laurie Magnus, the Prime Minister's ethics adviser, investigate what they describe as "serious deficiencies in the released material."
The party has specifically asked Sir Laurie to examine evidence that Sir Keir may have misled Parliament when he claimed that "full due process was followed" throughout Mandelson's appointment. This week's documents actually record national security adviser Jonathan Powell describing the appointment as "weirdly rushed," contradicting the Prime Minister's public statements.
Golden Goodbye Payments Raise Eyebrows
In another damaging revelation, the Conservatives claim ministers broke government rules on public spending by awarding Mandelson an extraordinary £75,000 golden goodbye after sacking him over his Epstein connections. One senior figure described the substantial payment as "hush money," adding another layer to the growing scandal.
Mrs Badenoch, drawing on her ministerial experience, highlighted the suspicious absence of crucial documentation. "I've been a minister and a secretary of state," she explained. "The comments which Keir Starmer would have put on the red box notes – those are the cover notes where you explain what you want to happen – are missing. They have been removed. We need the full details of what the Prime Minister did. There is still a cover-up going on."
Prime Minister Issues Apology Amid Backbench Anger
Sir Keir issued another apology yesterday, taking "full responsibility" for appointing Mandelson against the advice of his national security adviser. "It was me that made a mistake, and it's me that makes the apology to the victims of Epstein, and I do that," the Prime Minister stated in his first public comments since the files were published.
However, Downing Street's defense has been inconsistent. While No 10 rejected claims of a cover-up and Whitehall sources denied document redaction, the Prime Minister's spokesman was unable to explain why Sir Keir apparently offered no comment on the notes contained in his red box. The government continues to maintain that proper procedures were followed, despite evidence to the contrary in the released documents.
Growing Pressure From Across Political Spectrum
The scandal has triggered significant anger on Labour's backbenches, with growing fears about what might emerge in the next, much larger batch of files expected in coming weeks. Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell accused the Prime Minister of allowing Labour to be "dragged into the gutter" by Mandelson and his allies.
Labour's former deputy leader Harriet Harman, who previously pursued Boris Johnson over claims of misleading Parliament, stated that Sir Keir must expect the same treatment. Fellow Left-winger Nadia Whittome added: "Victims of child sexual abuse deserve our moral consistency. How did the PM think Mandelson's appointment would make them feel? Factional politics took priority above everything else, and that is disgraceful."
In a formal letter to ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus, Tory frontbencher Alex Burghart argued that this week's documents "contradict" statements made by Sir Keir to Parliament. He highlighted how revelations about the "rushed" appointment and bypassing of vetting procedures directly contradict the Prime Minister's claim that proper procedures were followed throughout the controversial diplomatic posting process.
