The British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is under intense political pressure, with calls for him to resign, over his decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to the United States, despite his links to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The leader of Sir Keir’s Labour Party in Scotland, Anas Sarwar, has become the Prime Minister’s most senior colleague to say he must step down for the sake of his party and the country.
Sir Keir nominated Lord Mandelson for the UK’s top diplomatic post in December 2024, despite knowing he had continued his relationship with Epstein after his conviction and jail sentence. Sir Keir was forced to dismiss Lord Mandelson nine months later, when email exchanges between the two men were released.
The scandal developed into a crisis threatening Sir Keir’s leadership, with the recent release of documents by the US Justice Department which appear to show that Peter Mandelson leaked market-sensitive information to Epstein, when he was a government minister.
Sir Keir’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, has resigned, taking responsibility for advising the Prime Minister to appoint Lord Mandelson as ambassador. Sir Keir’s head of communications has also left his job.
For now the Prime Minister has won the support of some of his members of parliament, but is facing open speculation that his days in office may be numbered.
Reeta Chakrabarti presents BBC News at Ten reporting by political editor Chris Mason.
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