One of Keir Starmer’s top Cabinet allies has urged his Labour colleagues to back the Prime Minister after a torrid few days – or face chaos in the search for a new leader.
The PM has been under enormous pressure since new emails published in the Epstein files revealed new details about the friendship between the paedophile and Lord Peter Mandelson.
Mandelson, who was sacked as the UK’s ambassador to the US after just seven months in September last year, is now under investigation by the Met.
In an appearance on Sky News this morning, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden told presenter Trevor Phillips that Mandelson was picked for his ability to ‘operate at the highest political level with the Trump administration’.
He added: ‘That turned out to be the wrong decision, and it’s blown up in the most spectacular manner.’
But McFadden, considered one of the most loyal ministers in Starmer’s Cabinet, said getting rid of the PM would be a disastrous move.
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The MP said: ‘I believe he should stay, he has a five-year mandate that was just voted for 18 months or so ago in a general election.
‘His task is by no means complete, it’s barely begun. And I also think it is not good for the country to change its Prime Minister every 18 months or two years.
‘It’s leading to chaos and uncertainty economically, politically, and reputationally around the world.’
Keir Starmer was already dealing with historic levels of unpopularity before the Mandelson controversy, and now faces calls to step down even from some Labour MPs.
His actions in the coming week may determine whether the heat is turned down, or if it will continue to ramp up.
In an effort to reclaim control, he apologised to Epstein’s victims in a speech on Thursday and committed to releasing thousands of potentially explosive messages and files relating to the decision to appoint the Labour grandee for the top diplomatic role.
The broad scope of those documents risks further political backlash, as they may expose the role Mandelson played behind the scenes as a mentor and confident to top government figures.
Starmer only agreed to the move after being strongarmed by a parliamentary procedure launched by the Conservatives, and he made further concessions under backbench pressure led by ex-deputy PM Angela Rayner.
Then-Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who is now deputy prime minister, was among the figures advising against picking Mandelson for the job, the Sunday Times reported.
Mandelson, who served in various Cabinet positions under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, is also understood to have received a five-figure pay-off after his sacking.
According to BBC News, the Foreign Office is now reviewing the payment.
McFadden, who was a business minister when Mandelson led that department under Brown, suggested the ex-ambassador should ‘either return [the money] or give it to an appropriate charity’.
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