Starmer's Leadership Under Siege as Labour MPs Rebel Over Mandelson Appointment
Sir Keir Starmer's position as Prime Minister is facing unprecedented pressure from within his own party, with Labour backbenchers expressing growing anger over his decision to appoint Lord Peter Mandelson as US ambassador despite knowledge of his connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Backbench Fury and Leadership Doubts
The mood among Labour MPs has darkened considerably since Sir Keir admitted during Prime Minister's Questions that the government was aware of Mandelson's friendship with Epstein when making the Washington appointment. One backbencher described the situation as "indefensible," telling colleagues: "They knew all about Peter's relationship with Epstein but gave him the job anyway."
Another MP drew parallels with the scandal that brought down Boris Johnson, stating: "It's like Chris Pincher on steroids. The moment Keir admitted it then that was it – it's over." This sentiment reflects broader concerns about trust within the parliamentary party, with one MP warning: "Trust is finite. I'm personally not sure I could trust myself to back the prime minister in a confidence vote."
Rayner Joins Growing Rebellion
Significantly, the backlash includes Sir Keir's former deputy Angela Rayner, who has joined other Labour backbenchers in rallying against the Prime Minister's judgement. This represents a substantial challenge to Starmer's authority from within his own political ranks.
Cabinet Minister Points to Vetting Failures
Cabinet minister Steve Reed has attempted to deflect blame from the Prime Minister and his team, instead pointing to systemic failures in the vetting process. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Reed stated: "The fault is with a long-established process that was gone through in the same way that it would have been for any other appointment of this kind."
He emphasised that decisions were made based on available information at the time, noting: "Mandelson lied and covered up the extent of his relationship. He made out the relationship was over and that it had barely ever existed." Reed added bluntly: "A liar is going to lie," while confirming the government wants to publish documents showing "what the Prime Minister saw when Peter Mandelson lied to him" as quickly as possible.
Mandelson's Retirement and Revelations
Lord Mandelson officially retired from the House of Lords following the release of US Department of Justice files last Friday that appear to show he leaked sensitive government information to Epstein while serving as business secretary under Gordon Brown. The documents also suggest Mandelson attempted to secure a Russian visa for Epstein, with email exchanges indicating he believed "Ben can get visas thru OD" – thought to refer to Benjamin Wegg-Prosser and Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.
Defence of Starmer's Team
Despite the growing crisis, Reed has insisted that Sir Keir's controversial chief of staff Morgan McSweeney – who reportedly pushed for Mandelson's appointment – remains "safe in his job." The housing secretary told Sky News: "The person at fault here is not the prime minister or his team, it is Peter Mandelson who lied manipulated and deceived everybody."
Reed maintained that Starmer's position remains secure, arguing: "As soon as the prime minister found out the truth, he acted with decisiveness and integrity, and he sacked Peter Mandelson as the US ambassador." He described his personal reaction to the revelations as feeling like he had "been punched in the stomach."
Document Release Process
Cabinet Office minister Chris Ward has outlined how documents relating to Mandelson will be released to Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee. Ward stated: "Release of information will be done, either through the Cabinet Secretary working with independent lawyers, or if the material is deemed to be potentially conflicting with national security or foreign relations, it will be handed to the ISC." He emphasised there would be "no political involvement from Number 10 in this process."
Broader Political Implications
Labour peer Lord John Hutton, who served as a Cabinet minister under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, suggested the scandal could mark the end of Starmer's premiership. He told LBC: "It could well mark the end of the Prime Minister's time in office," adding that he expected Labour MPs would be having "very serious reflections" on the government's direction.
Hutton expressed doubt that sacking aides would resolve the crisis, stating: "I don't think the Prime Minister can be rescued by an avalanche of new parliamentary aides or aides in No 10. I think the change has got to come from the very top."
The growing rebellion represents the most serious challenge to Starmer's leadership since taking office, with the Epstein connection adding particularly damaging dimensions to what many MPs see as a catastrophic error of judgement.
