Newspaper headlines: 'Payoff for Mandelson' and Starmer's 'relegation battle'

Newspaper headlines: 'Payoff for Mandelson' and Starmer's 'relegation battle'

Sunday’s newspapers are dominated by the ongoing controversy stemming from the government’s handling of the Peter Mandelson affair. The Observer highlights this with the headline “The relegation battle,” accompanied by an image of the prime minister attending an Arsenal match on Saturday. The paper indicates that Sir Keir Starmer is facing mounting pressure to overhaul his Downing Street team, with donors reportedly warning him that “time is running out.”

In a related development, the Sunday Telegraph reveals that Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy had previously advised against appointing Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the United States. The paper notes that Lammy is the first cabinet minister to publicly break ranks with Sir Keir, suggesting that the prime minister’s political future is increasingly uncertain.

The Sunday Mirror features a strong call to action on its front page, quoting former home secretary David Blunkett urging the prime minister to “get your act together.” Blunkett emphasizes the need for Sir Keir to “rise to the challenge” and reaffirm Labour as “a party of service.” Meanwhile, the Sunday Times reports that Lord Mandelson received a taxpayer-funded exit payment amounting to tens of thousands of pounds, believed to be up to £40,000 after his dismissal as ambassador last September. Sources within the Foreign Office have confirmed to the BBC that this payoff is currently under review.

Elsewhere, the Mail on Sunday has published further details from the latest disclosures related to Jeffrey Epstein, citing emails which suggest that the late sex offender held a private dinner with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor at Buckingham Palace, accompanied by a young model. The royal has consistently denied any wrongdoing concerning his relationship with Epstein. Additionally, the Sunday Express reports that the Red Arrows aerobatic team may soon use foreign-manufactured jets for the first time due to government delays in selecting a new aircraft. Other headlines include the Daily Star revealing actress Beverley Callard’s shock breast cancer diagnosis just twenty minutes before filming a new television show, and the Sun announcing that footballer Kyle Walker and his wife are expecting their fifth child

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