The flare-up of the Mandelson scandal threatens Sir Keir Starmer’s political future (Image: Getty)
Sir Keir Starmer is facing calls to quit so the Government will not be distracted by a “personal crisis of his own making” following the latest revelations about Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador. The Labour leader’s future could hinge on the expected appearance before MPs on Tuesday by Olly Robbins. The former top civil servant at the Foreign Office was ousted on Thursday amid claims his department did not tell the Prime Minister that Mandelson had failed security vetting.
Sir Keir will stand before MPs on Monday and detail how Mandelson – a former close friend of billionaire sex predator Jeffrey Epstein – was granted the top diplomatic post. The PM claims “no minister was told” that this veteran of the Blair and Brown governments had failed the vetting process.
A Labour MP told the Sunday Express: “If that is proven incorrect then I think we are talking resignation time, to be honest.”
The MP said the evidence that Mr Robbins will give during his expected appearance before the foreign affairs select committee will be “hugely critical for Starmer’s political future”.
Sir Keir will face MPs again on Wednesday for Prime Minister’s Questions but the Conservatives’ Kemi Badenoch and Reform UK’s Nigel Farage have doubled-down on their calls for him to end the saga by quitting.
Mrs Badenoch told the Sunday Express: “The national scandal of Mandelson’s appointment has gone on for too long, and is distracting Keir Starmer and his ministers from the problems facing our country. Either Starmer is too incompetent to run his own Government, or is lying to Parliament and the public about what he knew. Either of these is a step too far. The British people deserve a Prime Minister focused on the serious national challenges we face, not trying to dig his way of out a hole of his own making. It is time for Starmer to resign.”
Mr Farage told us: “The Prime Minister must resign this week. Keir Starmer cannot say Peter Mandelson passed security vetting and later claim he wasn’t told. That is misleading Parliament and lying to the public – outright, blatant dishonesty. Enough is enough. He has to go.”
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Dame Penny Mordaunt claims Whitehall is focused on the Mandelson scandal (Image: Getty)
Dame Penny Mordaunt, a former Conservative Defence Secretary, warned of the paralysis she believes has hit Government.
She said: “He can’t increase urgently needed defence investment, he can’t reduce energy costs, he can’t control spending , he can’t tackle soaring welfare, he won’t back business or pursue trade policy that would grow the economy. Instead the whole of Whitehall is focussed on delivering him through one personal crisis of his own making to another.”
Shadow armed forces minister Mark Francois, added: “While our beleaguered Prime Minister is struggling to save his own skin, he is completely neglecting his duty to sort out the total impasse between the MoD and the Treasury over the defence budget.”
However, senior Labour MPs loyal to Sir Keir batted away the Tory attacks.
Nick Smith, an early champion of Sir Keir, said: “If the Prime Minister had been told Peter Mandelson had failed vetting he would have stopped the appointment. Obviously the Conservatives are weighing in. That’s what you’d expect.
“In the meantime, these are extraordinary times across the world. Our Prime Minister should continue to navigate the UK through these troubled waters. That’s what the country needs.”
Carolyn Harris, the deputy leader of Welsh Labour, said: “In all the time I’ve known Keir Starmer, it’s been crystal clear to me that he is a man of the utmost integrity, both personally and professionally. I know he will be furious about what’s happened here.
“Naked political opportunists like Kemi Badenoch need to take a long hard look in the mirror before slinging around any more baseless accusations. I know Keir will continue leading us forwards with integrity and delivering in the country’s national interest.”
The Mandelson scandal has unfolded at a time of international crisis (Image: AP)
In a message to Tory supporters, Mrs Badenoch reiterated it was time for Sir Keir “to go”, stating: “Let’s count how many people Keir Starmer has thrown under a bus over the Mandelson scandal. The security services. His Chief of Staff. The Cabinet Secretary. His Director of Communications. And now, the Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Office. Can you guess who is not taking any responsibility? Keir Starmer.”
A Labour source responded: “While Keir Starmer offers serious, calm-headed leadership in the national interest, Kemi Badenoch is simply not up to the job.”
But Shadow Defence Secretary Sir James Cartlidge said: “The UK Ambassador in Washington occupies a role central to intelligence cooperation, defence coordination, and the Special Relationship itself. To appoint someone unable to pass security clearance speaks to a Government willing to bend the rules when it suits them, even where national security is concerned.”