Sir Keir Starmer has apologised to victims of Jeffrey Epstein for having “believed Peter Mandelson’s lies” and appointing him as US ambassador, despite being aware of his ties to the billionaire paedophile.
During a press conference on Thursday, the prime minister said these victims “have seen accountability delayed and too often denied”.
“To them I want to say this, I am sorry,” he said. “Sorry for what was done to you. Sorry that so many people with power failed you.”
Sir Keir kicked off his speech by addressing the Mandelson scandal, as he said: “It had been publicly known for some time that Mandelson knew Epstein, but none of us knew the depth and the darkness of that relationship.”
“He portrayed Epstein as someone he barely knew. But when that became clear that was not true, I sacked him.”
Kemi Badenoch branded Starmer’s apology as “shameful”, adding: “He should be apologising for ignoring the security advice, rather than apologising for believing Mandelson.”
The prime minister continues to face mounting calls from Labour MPs to sack Morgan McSweeney as his chief of staff, and growing pressure on his own premiership over the Lord Mandelson scandal.
Key Points
- Starmer apologises to Epstein victims for appointing Mandelson
- Badenoch calls on Labour MPs to push for vote of no confidence
- PM says Mandelson lied about staying at Epstein’s apartment and accepting gifts
- Starmer explains why he believed Mandelson
- PM says he wanted to release Mandelson files yesterday
- 'Time for him to go': Labour MP says McSweeney's time is up
No 10 talking with ISC about releasing Mandelson documents
16:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainDowning Street said it is talking with the Intelligence and Security Committee about the process of releasing documents related to Lord Peter Mandelson's appointment as Britain's ambassador to the US.
The prime minister's official spokesman said: "We have begun discussions with the ISC about the process for releasing these documents.
"When we've agreed a process with the ISC, the government will then update the House.
"The government will take steps to ensure that document release does not compromise the Met's investigation."
Anas Sarwar says Mandelson should never have been considered for ambassador job
15:51 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe Scottish Labour leader has backed the prime minister to keep his job - although he insisted Sir Keir Starmer should never even have considered Peter Mandelson for the job of ambassador to the US.
Anas Sarwar - who described Lord Mandelson as an "old friend" when he was given the posting to Washington DC - said the former UK minister was "a shame to our nation".
Mr Sarwar later told journalists he too is "utterly disgusted and furious" about what had happened.
"Peter Mandelson should never even have been considered to be the ambassador the US, he never should have been the ambassador to the US," Mr Sarwar said.
With Lord Mandelson having quit the Labour Party in light of the revelations, Mr Sarwar added: "it's right he's not a member of the Labour Party and he should be stripped of all his titles, and it is right he is now investigated by the police."
Pressed on whether the PM can stay in his post until the Holyrood election in May, Mr Sarwar insisted: "Yes."
Farage dismisses Starmer's apology over Mandelson as 'weak'
15:42 , Maryam Zakir-HussainReform UK leader Nigel Farage described the prime minister's apology as "weak"
Mr Farage said: "Very weak apology, and not quite believable.
"I mean, all the evidence that we've seen over the course of the last 24 hours, indicates he was briefed, he knew that not only had Peter Mandelson maintained a relationship with Jeffrey Epstein after his prison sentence for under age prostitution, he knew that actually he'd stayed with him.
"So there was a lot of stuff that was known about the depth of that relationship.
"And the prime minister trying to pretend all the way through he doesn't really know Peter Mandelson, he didn't really understand what relationship was. So it's a very weak, late apology, not believable and not helping his position one little bit."
Mr Farage, on the campaign trail in the Gorton and Denton by-election, added: "One thing I have to say, is that a prime minister can get things rights, a prime minister get things wrong. A prime minister has to have good judgment, and appointing Peter Mandelson - given what he knew - was terrible judgment."
"This is the biggest scandal for 100 years. This is way bigger than the Profumo affair back in the early 60s. This is sex, money, corruption, the use of confidential information. The royal family is involved.
"This is a really, really big, big scandal, and it's difficult to see, difficult to see quite how this government gets out of it.
Labour grouping calls for 'total overhaul of personnel' amid Mandelson crisis
15:20 , Maryam Zakir-HussainAthena Stavrou reports:
Labour’s Mainstream group called for everyone involved in the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador to be “held to account”.
The centre-left grouping, which is backed by Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, said there must be a “total overhaul of personnel” in the government after it emerged ministers knew of Mandelson’s links to Epstein after his conviction for child sex offences.
"The appointment of Peter Mandelson was the direct result of a corrosive political culture that must be torn out by its roots,” Mainstream's Interim Council said.
"A failure of this magnitude does not happen by accident. It requires a system that elevates factional loyalty over integrity, that values connections over character and that treats rigorous vetting as an inconvenience.
“Everyone who participated in this process - from those who championed the appointment, to those who turned a blind eye, to those who silenced doubts in the name of political convenience - must be held to account.”
They added: “While this is a systemic failure, those who designed and operated the system cannot evade consequence. True accountability means a total overhaul of personnel, of process and of the rotten priorities that brought us here. We will not settle for less."
Badenoch says PM is trying to confuse public with talk of national security
15:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainKemi Badenoch questioned the prime minister's judgment as she said he has been "banged to rights" over the Lord Peter Mandelson scandal.
She said people should not believe Sir Keir Starmer's claims he wants to release all the files on the issue but the police have asked him not to.
She told a press conference in Westminster: "We are not interested in what Peter Mandelson got up to - the police can investigate that. We are interested in who knew what, when and how the appointment came to be made - that has nothing to do with the criminal investigation.
"If they are so scared, I am fully prepared to go into a room, have a look and see myself so that we understand. The Intelligence and Security Committee is a safe place. They see lots of top secret information all the time."
She suggested that Sir Keir is trying to "confuse you" about Lord Mandelson, "a man with associations to a paedophile" by talking about national security or a police investigation.
She added: "He (Sir Keir) will do everything he can to stay in office and he is going to use every trick in the book - do not buy it. He has been banged to rights and we need to make sure that the truth comes out and everything that went on is exposed."
PM must admit Mandelson appointment was a 'catastrophic error' - Labour backbencher
14:45 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSir Keir Starmer must admit that Lord Peter Mandelson's appointment "was a catastrophic error of political and moral judgment," a Labour backbencher has said.
Pendle and Clitheroe MP Jonathan Hinder told BBC Politics Live: "With the information that was available, which the Prime Minister is acknowledging was available, I don't think it is unreasonable to suggest that it was a mistake, even with that information.
"And I think that needs to be acknowledged. I think Labour MPs would appreciate the Prime Minister saying 'I cocked up'."
Mr Hinder said Sir Keir "took the right tone this morning, but what needs to be acknowledged is that this was a catastrophic error of political and moral judgment, and I don't think that has been addressed yet".
The MP said Lord Mandelson's appointment as ambassador to the US was "an absolute disgrace" and "I'm absolutely raging about it".
We need to talk about Dame Karen Pierce – the midlife woman pushed out of her job for Peter Mandelson
14:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainBefore Mandelson was appointed the UK’s ambassador to Washington, Pierce was already doing a brilliant job.
Eleanor Mills says the current scandal is a self-inflicted wound for Keir Starmer and another example of a great woman of a certain age being replaced by one of the boys:
Meet Dame Karen Pierce – the midlife woman pushed out of her job for Peter Mandelson
The only thing keeping Keir Starmer in place is the lack of an obvious successor
14:15 , Maryam Zakir-HussainFor all the chatter, a leadership challenge to the prime minister is unlikely, says John Rentoul, as Labour MPs have yet to be convinced that Angela Rayner, Wes Streeting, Shabana Mahmood or even Ed Miliband could do a better job:
The only thing keeping Keir Starmer in place is the lack of an obvious successor
Davey calls for a confidence vote now
14:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainLiberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has called for a confidence vote in the wake of on Mandelson scandal.
He said: “The British people can’t afford for this Labour soap opera to drag on for months or even years, like the Conservative Party did with Boris Johnson.
“We need a government totally focused on ending the cost-of-living crisis, fixing the NHS and care, and getting our economy growing again.
“Keir Starmer should say ‘put up or shut up’. Let’s have a confidence vote now to see whether Labour MPs have any confidence in the prime minister, so the government can get past this one way or the other and start focusing on the change our country needs.”
Watch: 'This is the biggest scandal in British politics for over a century', says Farage
13:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain'My misjudgement': Michael Gove under heat for previously backing Mandelson
13:41 , Maryam Zakir-HussainMichael Gove was exposed by Suella Braverman on social media for a 2025 article titled: “Why Peter Mandelson is the best choice to handle Trump”.
Ms Braverman posted the article saying: “Intriguing how The Spectator forgot to mention this particular misjudgment… “
Lord Gove, responded to the post, saying: “Fair point by @SuellaBraverman - my misjudgment.”
Fair point by @SuellaBraverman - my misjudgment https://t.co/BDSdYEacKb
— Michael Gove (@michaelgove) February 5, 2026
Badenoch backs Mahmood as ‘better’ than her Cabinet colleagues
13:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainKemi Badenoch has singled out home secretary Shabana Mahmood as being “better” than her colleagues in government.
Asked whether she admired anyone in the Labour Cabinet, the Tory leader said: “no.”
But she added: “I think Shabana Mahmood is someone who shows that she's better than her colleagues.
“I doubt that they will ever let her have a go, but I think that she is at least honest about the problems that the country is facing, and doesn't pander.”
Tory leader offers Labour MPs to join her party in seeking no confidence vote against PM
13:15 , Maryam Zakir-HussainKemi Badenoch has made a direct offer to Labour MPs to join her party in seeking a no confidence vote against the Prime minister.
The Tory leader said Sir Keir Starmer's position amid the Lord Peter Mandelson scandal is now "untenable" and "Britain is not being governed" properly with him at the helm.
Speaking at a press conference in Westminster, she said: "It is now up to Labour MPs to do the right thing. I know there are many of them who are horrified by what has happened.
"They might now expect the prime minister to take responsibility but we know he won't. He will have to be dragged out of Number 10, so I am making them an offer.
"If they want the change they know the country needs, come and speak to my whips and let's talk seriously about a vote of no confidence to force the moment."
She added that Sir Keir's "position is clearly untenable but it is for Labour politicians to decide when he goes because it is a question of when and not if he goes".
'Why are ministers still going on TV claiming "we didn't know"'
13:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainLabour MP Richard Burgon has questioned why ministers are still claiming they did not know the extent of Lord Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
He wrote in a social media post: “It's not just that Mandelson's ongoing relationship with Epstein had been reported on as far back as June 2023.
“The Prime Minister also now admits that the Official Security Vetting confirmed this. So why are Ministers still going on TV claiming 'we didn't know'?”
It's not just that Mandelson's ongoing relationship with Epstein had been reported on as far back as June 2023.
— Richard Burgon MP (@RichardBurgon) February 5, 2026
The Prime Minister also now admits that the Official Security Vetting confirmed this.
So why are Ministers still going on TV claiming 'we didn't know'?
Analysis: Starmer in damage control mode as crisis of confidence brews
12:50 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe Independent's political correspondent Millie Cooke reports from East Sussex where the PM is fighting for political survival:
Sir Keir Starmer has tried to undo some of the damage done yesterday when he admitted he knew that Peter Mandelson had some form of relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein when he appointed him.
Saying he regrets the appointment, he repeatedly insisted that Mandelson lied to him during the vetting process and claimed that he “barely knew Epstein”.
The PM put in a powerful pitch to persuade his furious party and the public that he is on the same side as them in this row, that he shares their anger. And his anger was visible.
But the PM was vague about exactly what he knew and when - perhaps something that will only be cleared up (or worsened) by the release of the documents.
While today’s press conference is unlikely to do enough to draw a line under the crisis of confidence facing the prime minister, it hasn’t exacerbated it. Which is perhaps the best outcome Starmer could have hoped for today.
Starmer cannot survive as prime minister without his right-hand man
12:45 , Maryam Zakir-HussainMany people in Labour want Morgan McSweeney sacked as Downing Street chief of staff, but there are doubts Keir Starmer would survive as PM without him, Kate Devlin and David Maddox write:
Will Starmer resign over Mandelson-Epstein scandal and who could replace him?
PM says every minute not focused on cost of living is 'time wasted'
12:35 , Maryam Zakir-HussainEvery minute not spent talking about the cost of living and fighting against the "toxic division of Reform" is a minute wasted, the prime minister has said.
Asked by reporters if his argument against removing him as prime minister is that it would make a Reform government more likely, Sir Keir Starmer said: "My message is that every minute we spent talking about anything other than the cost of living, pride in place, how we stabilise our economy and how we make the massive argument we need to make: that we must unite this country, understand that to be British is to be tolerant, reasonable, compassionate and diverse, and fight for it against the toxic division of Reform.
"Every minute we spend not talking and focusing on that is an absolute minute wasted."
PM and McSweeney 'both have a lot to answer for'- Badenoch
12:21 , Maryam Zakir-HussainKemi Badenoch said both Sir Keir Starmer and Morgan McSweeney “have a lot to answer for” and “both of them are hiding”.
Concerning the prime minster, she said: “I forced him to make a confession yesterday, and he’s backtracking now because he’s a coward.
“The fact is he saw security vetting that every single person in this room would have realised made Mandelson unsuitable and he still went ahead and appointed him because he thought he was being clever.”
“I think what he said this morning was actually shameful. He should be apologising for ignoring the security advice, rather than apologising for believing Mandelson.”
Will Starmer resign over Mandelson-Epstein scandal and who could replace him?
12:10 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSir Keir Starmer is fighting for his political life amid fury over his appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador.
The prime minister is in the centre of a political storm after admitting he was aware of the former peer’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein even after his conviction for child sex offences.
Figures across the political spectrum - including MPs in his own party - have questioned the prime minister’s judgement, with some declaring “it’s over” for Starmer.
Athena Stavrou reports:
Will Starmer resign over Mandelson-Epstein scandal and who could replace him?
Badenoch calls on Labour MPs to push for vote of no confidence
12:09 , Maryam Zakir-HussainAthena Stavrou reports:
Kemi Badenoch has called on Labour MPs to come forward to push for a vote of no confidence on Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership.
The Tory leader has been speaking at a press conference minutes after the prime minister apologised to victims of Jeffrey Epstein for having “believed Peter Mandelson’s lies” over his ties to the billionaire paedophile.
The Tory leader said Sir Keir would have to be “dragged from No 10” and said it is “now up to labour MPs to do the right thing”.
“I know there are many who are horrified,” she said. “I am making them an offer. If they want the change they know the country needs, come and talk to my whips and speak seriously about a vote of no confidence.”
Watch: Starmer addresses questions about whether he should quit
12:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainKemi Badenoch delivers speech in Westminster
11:59 , Maryam Zakir-HussainWe’re back in London with Kemi Badenoch as the leader of the Tory party is delivering a speech in Westminster.
Stay tuned as we bring you live updates.
Starmer explains why he believed Mandelson
11:55 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOur political correspondent Athena Stavrou reports:
Sir Keir Starmer said it was an “obvious mistake” to believe Peter Mandelson’s lies about his ties with Epstein.
The prime minister asked why he believed Mandelson’s account of his relationship with Epstein over information in the public domain which suggested he had remained friends after his conviction for child sex offences.
“I believed what he said to me. I regret that,” he said.
“I apologise for having believed him, he gave answers to the questions that were asked of him. I assumed and treated those answers as true. That was obviously a mistake.”
PM attempts to clarify his comments from PMQs
11:52 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSir Keir Starmer said he wanted to clarify his comments from yesterday on what he knew about the relationship between Lord Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein.
He said: "Let me just address that head on and perhaps clarify something I said at Prime Minister's Questions yesterday about the relationship between Mandelson and Epstein.
"Because what I meant was it has been known publicly for some time that they knew each other.
"And that is precisely why, when we were going through the appointment process for the ambassador role, we asked questions about the nature and extent of that relationship."
Starmer addresses questions about whether he should quit
11:47 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOur Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
Asked if he should quit, as some of his MPs want, Sir Keir repeated that he “regretted” appointing Mandelson but that he was “told lies”.
He added that, like his critics, he was “angry and frustrated”.
“But we must remain focused on what we were elected to do - to change this country for the better,” he told journalists after a speech in Hastings.
'I am angry and frustrated too'
11:46 , Maryam Zakir-HussainWhen questioned about what he says to his MPs who are furious about the PM’s knowledge of Mandelson’s links with Epstein when appointing him as US ambassador, Sir Keir Starmer said: “I understand their anger and frustation. I am angry and frustrated like them.
“They are angry about his association with Epstein, as am I.”
The PM went on to apologise once again for believing Mandelson.
Watch: Mandelson ‘portrayed Epstein as someone he barely knew,’ says Starmer
11:41 , Maryam Zakir-HussainStarmer says he wanted to release Mandelson files yesterday
11:39 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOur political correspondent Athena Stavrou reports:
Sir Keir Starmer has said he wanted to release the files relating to his appointment of Peter Mandelson ahead of PMQ’s yesterday, but was told not to by the police.
The prime minister is under pressure to release documents detailing the vetting process that Mandelson underwent before he was appointed as the US ambassador.
Sir Keir has claimed Mandelson lied to him and his team throughout the process.
“I want to be able to release those documents as quickly as possible,” he said. “I wanted to release them yesterday in-fact and talk about them at prime minister’s questions.”
He added: “But the police have advised that releasing certain information now could risk prejudicing a future investigation and legal process.
“And however frustrating from my personal point of view that is, and it is, I will not take any step, however politically tempting, however popular, that risks justice for victims.”
PM says this country 'will not look away from accountability'
11:34 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSir Keir Starmer said he was sorry to victims of Jeffrey Epstein for having believed Lord Peter Mandelson's lies and appointing him Britain's ambassador to the US.
He said: "The victims of Epstein have lived with trauma that most of us can barely comprehend, and they've had to relive it again and again."
He said they had seen accountability "delayed and too often denied".
"I want to say this. I am sorry, sorry for what was done to you, sorry that so many people with power failed you. 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.
"But I also want to say this: in this country, we will not look away, we will not shrug our shoulders, and we will not allow the powerful to treat justice as optional. We will pursue the truth. We will uphold the integrity of public life, and we will do everything within our power and in the interests of justice to ensure accountability is delivered.
"That is what the public expects. That is what the victims deserve, and it is what I will do."
Analysis: PM's attempts to shift focus back onto Reform fall flat
11:29 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports from East Sussex where Sir Keir Starmer addresses the nation:
After addressing the Mandelson row head on, the prime minister has moved on to discussing the politics of Reform UK, hitting out at politics shaped by grievance and division.
Trying to inject some energy into the room, the PM raised his voice as he said: “As long as I’ve got breath in my body I will always fight against that politics”.
But there is something about his comments that fall flat, coming just minutes after he was forced to defend his own record in appointing someone who was friends with Jeffrey Epstein.
While it was met with applause, it did not feel like the rallying cry Starmer’s speech writer will have wanted it to be.
Watch: Starmer issues message to victims of Jeffrey Epstein
11:27 , Maryam Zakir-HussainStarmer says Mandelson lied about staying at Epstein’s apartment and accepting gifts
11:26 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOur Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
Making a speech in Hastings, the PM said of Mandelson: “He was asked whether he had stayed at Epstein’s after his conviction… he was asked whether he had accepted gifts and hospitality, about whether he had been fully transparent about the relationship.”
He added: “The information now available makes clear that the answers he gave were lies.”
Starmer apologises to Epstein victims for appointing Mandelson
11:23 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOur political correspondent Athena Stavrou reports:
Sir Keir Starmer has apologised to victims of Jeffrey Epstein for appointing Peter Mandelson despite his ties to the paedophile.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, the prime minister said these victims “have seen accountability delayed and too often denied”.
“To them I want to say this, I am sorry,” he said. “Sorry for what was done to you. Sorry that so many people with power failed you.
“Sorry for believing Mandelson’s lies and appointed him. And sorry that even now you’re forced to watch this story unfold in public once again.”
Starmer desperately tries to persuade MPs he is on the same side as them
11:19 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports from East Sussex where the prime minister is fighting for his political survival:
Sir Keir Starmer is desperately trying to position himself as being on the side of the people, amid growing fury over revelations about Mandelson’s behaviour.
“I understand the strength of public feeling, I share the anger”, he told a news conference on Thursday morning.
As a gulf opens up between himself and Labour MPs, who are increasingly feeling that the prime minister did not defend decency and honesty in the face of Mandelson’s behaviour, the PM is attempting to claw back public support and convince his party that he is on the right side of this row.
Starmer addressees Mandelson scandal immediately
11:16 , Maryam Zakir-HussainAthena Stavrou reports:
Sir Keir Starmer has decided to address the scandal surrounding Peter Mandelson at the outset of his speech.
The prime minister said while he believes most people in public life, including politicians, do so for good reasons, he said “that is not why Mandelson did it”.
“I entered politics not for personal gain, not for status and not to live a life detached from the reality most people face,” he said.
“I still believe that most people who serve in public life...do so for the same reason. Because they believe in service, because they believe in duty.
"But that is not why some people do it and that is not why Mandelson did it.”
Analysis: Starmer comes out fighting over Mandelson
11:16 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports from East Sussex:
Sir Keir Starmer has come out fighting over the Peter Mandelson scandal, opening his press conference by addressing the crisis rattling his premiership.
It's an attacking move, and almost certainly the right one.
A previous version of Starmer might have pressed on with the news conference he had originally planned, with an answer prepped for when inevitable questions come at the end.
But this version of Starmer has clearly realised that if he wants to survive, he needs to come out on the attack.
'No one is above accountability'
11:14 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe prime minister said of Mandelson: “He portrayed Epstein as someone he barely knew. But when that became clear that was not true, I sacked him.”
He went on: “Such conceit is incompatible with public service.
“No one is above accountability.”
Starmer begins by addressing Mandelson scandal
11:13 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSir Keir Starmer began his speech in St Leonards saying he wants to address the Mandelson scandal.
He said: “In recent days, serious allegations and serious evidence concerning Mandelson’s conduct, including his relationship with Epstein, a convicted sex offender.
“It had been publicly known for some time that Mandelson knew Epstein, but none of us knew the depth and the darkness of that relationship.”
Analysis: Starmer will struggle to keep the focus on his ‘Pride in Place’ scheme as tensions mount
11:11 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports from East Sussex, where the prime minister will deliver a crucial press conference:
Sir Keir Starmer is preparing to fight for his political survival in a room that has the energy of a quaint village hall.
With Union Jack bunting hung around the room, and fresh flowers on each table, the prime minister is set to talk about the government’s “pride in place” scheme - a programme aimed at giving power to local people to make changes in their area.
The event had been put in the diary before the crisis over Peter Mandelson reached fever pitch this week.
Cancelling would have been a damning sign of weakness - and dodging the media would have undermined the PM’s calls for transparency.
But pressing ahead with the address is also a gamble - because there is no doubt Starmer will face a barrage of brutal questions from media hacks today, and will struggle to keep the focus on his vision for local communities in Britain.
Sir Keir Starmer is about to start his speech in St Leonards about strengthening Britain’s community spirit.
Our political correspondent Millie Cooke will be feeding in live updates from the speech.
Stay tuned here.
Starmer’s speech shows he’s living in ‘la la land’, says Badenoch
11:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOur political correspondent Athena Stavrou reports:
Kemi Badenoch has accused Sir Keir Starmer of “living in la la land” as he prepares to deliver a speech taking aim at those who seek to sow “division and decline”.
The prime minister is attempting to position himself as the defender of a “decent and tolerant Britain”, amid criticism of his judgement and integrity over his appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador.
“It’s a speech for someone who's living in la la land,” the Tory leader told LBC.
“If he thinks that he can give another speech where he criticises all the other political parties and says that they're the best thing around, I think that people are going to give it very short shrift.”
Labour MP John McDonnell has called for a “caretaker leader” to direct a “cleansing” of the party before electing a new leader.
In a lengthy thread on social media, the MP for Hayes and Harlington not only questioned Sir Keir Starmer’s future as prime minister, but also why those in Labour leadership did not challenge Starmer when he appointed Lord Mandelson as US ambassador.
He wrote: “In December 2024 I warned people would think Keir has lost all sense of judgment appointing Mandelson. Where were the senior party figures? Why weren’t they standing up, speaking out?”
He went on: “But simply replacing him with someone who stayed silent at the critical time won’t restore confidence in the party or politics.
“The issue of the influence of wealthy individuals & corporations also goes beyond Mandelson/Epstein. That’s why we may need a caretaker leader specifically appointed for a time limited period to undertake a cleansing of our party & politics before we elect a new leader.”
Focus in yesterday’s debate was on Keir Starmer’s judgement & behaviour over Mandelson but question is why didn’t those in Labour leadership challenge him at the time of Mandelson’s appointment. They knew of Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with Epstein after prosecution 1/4
— John McDonnell (@johnmcdonnellMP) February 5, 2026
Labour MP calls for 'caretaker leader' to cleanse the party and politics
10:53 , Maryam Zakir-HussainLabour MP John McDonnell has called for a “caretaker leader” to direct a “cleansing” of the party before electing a new leader.
In a lengthy thread on social media, the MP for Hayes and Harlington not only questioned Sir Keir Starmer’s future as prime minister, but also why those in Labour leadership did not challenge Starmer when he appointed Lord Mandelson as US ambassador.”
He wrote: “In December 2024 I warned people would think Keir has lost all sense of judgment appointing Mandelson. Where were the senior party figures? Why weren’t they standing up, speaking out?”
He went on: “But simply replacing him with someone who stayed silent at the critical time won’t restore confidence in the party or politics.
“The issue of the influence of wealthy individuals & corporations also goes beyond Mandelson/Epstein. That’s why we may need a caretaker leader specifically appointed for a time limited period to undertake a cleansing of our party & politics before we elect a new leader.”
Focus in yesterday’s debate was on Keir Starmer’s judgement & behaviour over Mandelson but question is why didn’t those in Labour leadership challenge him at the time of Mandelson’s appointment. They knew of Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with Epstein after prosecution 1/4
— John McDonnell (@johnmcdonnellMP) February 5, 2026
Farage: This is the biggest scandal in British politics in over a century
10:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOur political correspondent Athena Stavrou reports:
Nigel Farage has branded Peter Mandelson’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein the biggest scandal in British politics for “over a century”.
Speaking at a Reform UK rally in Wales, Mr Farage told supports: “Don't think this scandal is just another political scandal. It isn't just partygate - it’s bigger.”
He said he suspected Mandelson’s leaking of government emails to Epstein could amount to breaching the Official Secrets Act, and described it as bigger than the Profumo scandal in the early 1960s.
“This involves sex, it involves money, it involves the royal family. It involves the leaking of market sensitive,confidential information.”
He added: “This is the biggest scandal in British politics for over one century.”
'Time for them to go': Labour MP says McSweeney's time is up
10:25 , Maryam Zakir-HussainPaula Barker, Labour deputy chairwoman of the Standards Committee and Privileges Committee, criticised Sir Keir's "questionable" judgment over the saga but stopped short of calling for him to quit.
On Mr McSweeney, she told the BBC's Today programme: "There are serious questions to be answered by his (Sir Keir's) team.
"And certainly, as we know only too well..., when your chief of staff becomes the story, then often it's time for them to go."
No 10 tight lipped on when Mandelson documents will be published
10:20 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOur Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
It remains unclear how long it will take before we get the first of the Mandelson papers from government.
A request from the Metropolitan Police not to publish documents that risk undermining its criminal investigation into the former Labour peer appears to have complicated the process.
There is frustration within government over this, amid questions over the police response and whether they are overreaching.
'If McSweeney stays, the PM is up against it': Karl Turner says
10:10 , Maryam Zakir-HussainKarl Turner, a Labour MP, said the prime minister is in a “crisis situation” following his admission of knowing about Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein before appointing him as US ambassador.
He told Times Radio this morning: “We can’t pretend this is not a crisis situation, I think it is.
“I think Keir Starmer has got a decision today. My advice to the prime minister, I have to tell you, is get rid of those advisors who have frankly given terrible advice to him over weeks and months.
“The PM needs to deal with that and make a decision. If the PM decides he has to be surrounded by advisers who give him shoddy advice the reality of that is the prime minister is going to have to make a decision about his future some point soon
When pressed on whether Starmer should go if he doesn’t sack his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, Mr Turner said: “If McSweeney continues in Number 10 Downing Street, I think the PM is up against it in a way he doesn’t need to be.”
Analysis: Starmer is facing critical pressure as he fights for survival
09:43 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe Independent's political correspondent Millie Cooke reports on the way to the prime minister's press conference in East Sussex:
Sir Keir Starmer will fight for his political life today, amid growing outrage from Labour MPs over the decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as US ambassador, following revelations about his links with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The PM is expected to use his address this morning to defend a "decent and tolerant Britain" - a pitch that is likely to ring hollow for MPs who feel that the prime minister failed to defend decency by allowing Mandelson to hold a key job in government.
But the key thing for Starmer today will be to persuade watchers that he was truly lied to by Mandelson after his jarring admission yesterday that he had known about the former US ambassador's friendship with Epstein before his appointment.
But if he slips up today and muddies the waters even further over what he knew and when, it will only add to the critical pressure he is facing - and could spell the beginning of the end for the PM.
Starmer won’t be in power by the next election, Badenoch says
09:28 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOur political correspondent Athena Stavrou reports:
Kemi Badenoch has said she would be “surprised” if Sir Keir Starmer remained as prime minister until the end of the year.
Asked if she thinks Sir Keir will be sending his Christmas cards form No 10 this year, she said: “I would be surprised."
She added: “We will have a Labour government until 2029, of that, I'm sure. But yesterday I saw Labour MPs looking really, really ill having to sit behind Keir Starmer."I don't think they want him anymore. It's a matter of when not if.”
Watch: Minister insists Starmer’s position is secure despite growing questions over his judgement
09:02 , Maryam Zakir-HussainBadenoch: Morgan McSweeney is toast
08:57 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOur political correspondent Athena Stavrou reports:
Kemi Badenoch has said she would be “amazed” if Sir Keir Starmer’s controversial chief of staff Morgan McSweeney stays in his job.
McSweeney has been blamed by many Labour MPs for pushing for the appointment of his ally Lord Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US in 2024.
“I think Morgan McSweeney is probably toast,” Ms Badenoch told LBC.
“I’m amazed he's still in the job. He was Peter Mandelson's protege. He was the one who pushed for this appointment, and must have seen all of the vetting. I’d be amazed if he continued in the job.”
'Prime minister's position is secure,' Steve Reed insists
08:50 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe prime minister and his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney are safe in their jobs, Steve Reed has insisted.
Asked whether Sir Keir Starmer's position is secure, the housing secretary told BBC Breakfast: "Of course it is."
On Sky News, he was pressed on whether Mr McSweeney is safe in his role, after being blamed by many Labour MPs for pushing for the appointment of his ally Lord Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US in 2024.
Mr Reed answered: "Yes, of course he is."
Cabinet minister blames vetting process for failure to flag true links to Epstein
08:40 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSteve Reed blamed the vetting process for failing to flag up the extent of Lord Peter Mandelson's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein before his appointment to the US ambassadorship.
The Cabinet minister told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "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, and it predates the arrival of this Government.
"Clearly, we need to look at that vetting process.
"But decisions can only be taken on the basis of the information available at the time, and Mandelson lied and covered up the extent of his relationship.
"He made out the relationship was over and that it had barely ever existed.
"We now know that was not the case, but the decision was taken at the time on the basis of Mandelson's experience as the former EU trade commissioner and UK business secretary.
"This information, had it have been known, would have ruled him out completely."
'A liar is going to lie': Steve Reed
08:20 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSir Keir Starmer believed Lord Peter Mandelson when he made out his relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein "was next to nothing," Steve Reed has said.
"You're only as good as the information you receive," the Cabinet minister told LBC Radio.
"Mandelson made out that relationship barely existed, that they hardly knew each other.
"There was a vetting process that included the security forces as well, and they flagged up no additional concerns...
"A liar is going to lie."
Mr Reed said the government wants to publish documents that show "what the Prime Minister saw when Peter Mandelson lied to him" before his appointment as ambassador to Washington "as quickly as possible".
"We need to look at the documents that will show the extent to which Peter Mandelson was lying," he said.
Morgan McSweeney ‘safe in his job’, says minister
08:01 , Athena StavrouA government minister has insisted Sir Keir Starmer’s controversial chief of staff Morgan McSweeney will not be sacked.
Mr McSweeney is said to have pushed for Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador and has been accused of bringing the former peer back into the heart of government and the Labour Party.
But when asked if Mr McSweeney is safe in his job, housing secretary Steve Reed told Sky News: “Yes, of course he is.”
He said: “The person at fault here is not the prime minister or his team, it is Peter Mandelson who lied manipulated and deceived everybody, including the media, actually, because he was on the media an awful lot as well. He conned everybody.”
Minister insists Starmer’s position is secure despite growing questions over his judgement
07:53 , Holly EvansHousing secretary Steve Reed has insisted Sir Keir Starmer’s position as prime minister is secure - despite his leadership being under growing pressure from Labour MPs.
But asked if Sir Keir’s position was secure, Mr Reed said: “Of course it is.”
“What's gone on here is that Peter Mandelson, we now know, lied absolutely to everybody,” he told the BBC.
“He lied about his relationship, the depth of it, the extent of it, with Jeffrey Epstein. He made out it was pretty much nothing….but 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.”
Mandelson 'lied, manipulated and deceived everybody', says minister
07:43 , Holly EvansLord Peter Mandelson “conned everybody,” Cabinet minister Steve Reed insisted as he sought to stress the Prime Minister and his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney were not “at fault”.
The Housing Secretary – a loyalist of Sir Keir Starmer – 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, including the media, actually, because he was on the media an awful lot as well. He conned everybody.
“What matters is what you do when you find out what’s gone wrong. And the Prime Minister couldn’t have been more decisive. He sacked Peter Manson at 5am in the morning as US ambassador months ago.”
Mr Reed said he felt like he had “been punched in the stomach” when he found out about Lord Mandelson’s dealings with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein from the documents released by US authorities.
'It's over', says on MP as pressure grows on Starmer
07:35 , Holly EvansThe mood among Labour MPs has increasingly darkened since Sir Keir Starmer admitted during PMQs that they had been aware of Mandelson’s friendship with the convicted paedophile when appointing him to the Washington job.
“It’s just indefensible,” said one backbencher. “They knew all about Peter’s relationship with Epstein but gave him the job anyway.
“It’s like Chris Pincher on steroids,” they told The Guardian, referring to the scandal that eventually brought down Boris Johnson. “The moment Keir admitted it then that was it – it’s over.”
Another former minister said: “We were meant to be the ones who didn’t do this stuff. It’s time for a fresh start, the sooner the better.”
Mandelson had tried to secure Russian visa for Epstein
07:19 , Holly EvansThe files also suggest that Lord Mandelson tried to secure a Russian visa for Epstein, with an email exchange showing Epstein asked how he could get a visa, to which Lord Mandelson responds that “Ben can get visas thru OD”.
This is thought to refer to Benjamin Wegg-Prosser, the co-founder of Lord Mandelson’s lobbying firm Global Counsel, and Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.
Mr Deripaska hit the headlines in the UK in 2008 when it emerged he had hosted then shadow chancellor George Osborne and then European trade commissioner Lord Mandelson on his superyacht off Corfu.
Scandal could mark end of Starmer's premiership, says Labour peer
07:10 , Holly EvansLabour peer Lord John Hutton, who served as a Cabinet minister under Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, said he thought the handling of the scandal could mark the end of the Sir Keir’s time in office.
He told LBC it is “clearly” the end of Lord Mandelson’s career, but added that “it could well mark the end of the Prime Minister’s time in office”.
He said he expected Labour MPs would be having some “very serious reflections” on the direction of government and cast doubt on whether sacking chief of staff Morgan McSweeney would be enough to fix the troubles facing Sir Keir.
He added: “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, not from the other ranks of the Government.
“And I don’t know whether that change is possible tonight. It doesn’t really look to me like it is.”
