Starmer Issues Apology Over Mandelson Appointment as Pressure Mounts on Top Aide
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has publicly apologised to victims of Jeffrey Epstein for appointing Peter Mandelson, a close associate of the convicted child sex offender, as US ambassador. The apology comes amid growing calls from Labour backbenchers for the dismissal of Starmer's chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, with warnings that McSweeney's continued presence would render the prime minister's position "untenable".
Downing Street Defies Calls for McSweeney's Removal
Downing Street has firmly resisted demands to remove Morgan McSweeney, insisting that the prime minister's most senior aide retains Starmer's full confidence. This defiance occurs as frustration escalates over delays in releasing vetting documents related to Mandelson's appointment, with some officials fearing the process could extend for several weeks.
Labour MPs have expressed mounting discontent, with one stating: "People want [McSweeney] to go, more than ever before. The current situation is unsustainable." Karl Turner, the Hull East MP and vocal critic of the Downing Street operation, emphasised that McSweeney's survival would leave Starmer's position "untenable", telling the BBC: "I don't want the PM to go. What I want is the PM to make changes."
Starmer's Emotional Apology to Epstein Victims
In a speech dominated by the Mandelson controversy, Starmer delivered an emotional apology during a media question-and-answer session in Hastings. Addressing Epstein's victims directly, he stated: "I want to say this. I am sorry – sorry for what was done to you, sorry that so many people with power failed, sorry for having believed Mandelson's lies and appointed him, and sorry that even now you're forced to watch this story unfold in public once again."
When questioned about why he approved Mandelson's appointment despite public knowledge of his post-prison connections to Epstein, Starmer avoided direct answers, instead blaming what he described as Mandelson's falsehoods and emphasising the need to review vetting procedures.
Document Release Delays and Parliamentary Compromise
Increasing frustration surrounds the delayed release of documents related to Mandelson's vetting, with none expected before next week at the earliest. Officials have admitted uncertainty about the number of messages and files involved, raising concerns that the examination could take weeks to complete.
Starmer had initially planned to release documents on Wednesday, but was delayed by Metropolitan Police warnings that some information might affect their investigation into whether Mandelson leaked market-sensitive information during his ministerial tenure. While detectives raised concerns about fewer than ten documents, they raised no objections to releasing the majority of the material.
A parliamentary compromise reached on Wednesday transferred decision-making authority regarding document redaction and withholding from the government to Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC). In a letter to Starmer, ISC chair Kevan Jones and vice-chair Jeremy Wright stated that sensitive material should be provided to them in full, with the committee determining what should remain unpublished. They emphasised that the ISC was implementing Commons wishes rather than Downing Street directives.
Leadership Speculation and Political Fallout
The information vacuum is complicating Downing Street's efforts to move beyond speculation about Starmer's leadership future. UK long-term borrowing costs reached their highest levels since the budget on Thursday as traders reacted to potential changes in Number Ten.
Opposition parties have called for a no-confidence vote in the prime minister, with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey raising the issue publicly. Meanwhile, former Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman advised Starmer to "stop blaming Mandelson", take personal responsibility for the appointment, and implement a "reset" of his Downing Street team, warning that failure to act could bring down his leadership.
Starmer has urged his MPs to focus on key messages like the cost of living rather than internal disputes, stating: "Every minute you spend not talking and focusing on that is an absolute minute wasted." However, even sympathetic voices appear to be losing patience with the ongoing controversy surrounding Mandelson's appointment and the future of Starmer's top aide.
