Downing Street was on Sunday night in crisis mode as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer came under mounting pressure over his handling of the Lord Mandelson affair with MPs openly speculating he could be forced out before the next general election.
He has learned that No 10 was informed early last week that Lord Mandelson had suggested Jeffrey Epstein’s first conviction for sex offences was wrongful and should be challenged.
Despite this, sources claim the Prime Minister himself was not briefed before he publicly expressed confidence in Mandelson during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.
The revelation has fuelled anger among Labour MPs already disillusioned with Starmer’s leadership. Dissenters warned on Sunday that the Prime Minister was supping in the last-chance saloon,while Conservatives accused him of being missing in action during the scandal.
Sir Keir was forced to sack Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the US after emails surfaced showing the Labour peer had offered supportive messages to Epstein even as he faced jail. The disclosures triggered a wave of outrage and deepened questions about judgment at the heart of government.
Reports suggested that Starmer clashed with his senior adviser after his Commons appearance, furious at not being warned about Mandelson’s comments, allegedly shouting, You are supposed to protect me from things like this Downing Street has denied such a confrontation took place.
The fallout marks the most turbulent week of Starmer’s premiership, with growing unease among his MPs about his grip on events and his ability to lead the party into the next election.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch sharpened the attack on Sunday night, declaring, “The Prime Minister has gone missing in action. Serious questions have been raised about what he knew, and when, regarding Lord Mandelson’s links to Jeffrey Epstein.”
Starmer is expected to make a public statement on the crisis on Monday, ending what critics have branded a damning silence.
However, the government has so far refused to clarify who in No 10 withheld the information from him.
