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A cabinet minister has appealed to Labour MPs to refrain from attempting to remove Sir Keir Starmer amid growing dissatisfaction concerning his handling of the Lord Mandelson controversy. While acknowledging the anger within the party, the minister cautioned against “dropping the pilot” less than two years after Labour returned to power, emphasizing that such a move would not “solve the country’s problems.”
This call for stability emerges as Steve Wright, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union—one of Labour’s 11 affiliated unions—expressed on BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that a change in leadership is urgently needed. Wright remarked, “I don’t think we can wait” until the local elections in May, adding that “everybody’s thinking it.” He highlighted how the government has become “distracted” by the scandal, turning it into a significant “trust and confidence issue” for the party.
The controversy centers on Sir Keir’s decision to dismiss Lord Mandelson from his Washington role last year, after emails surfaced revealing his supportive messages to Jeffrey Epstein during Epstein’s 2008 sex offense charges. Recent disclosures about Mandelson’s ongoing contact with Epstein after his conviction have reignited criticism from Labour MPs over the prime minister’s judgment. Sir Keir has accused Mandelson of downplaying his connection with Epstein prior to the appointment, though the BBC understands the peer insists he responded accurately to all inquiries.
Among those speaking out, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden acknowledged that the appointment was a mistake and damaged the government’s standing but urged MPs not to press for Sir Keir’s removal. McFadden warned this would harm the economy and the UK’s global reputation, remarking, “I know that when it’s a rough week it’s easy to reach for lever, change the leader, change the leader’s chief of staff, and think that will fix it… It doesn’t.” He also suggested that Mandelson should either return the payoff he received following his dismissal or donate it to a relevant charity.
Calls for Sir Keir to sack his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney—who reportedly advocated for Mandelson’s recruitment—were rejected by McFadden. Nevertheless, former Labour cabinet minister Lord Blunkett renewed his demand for McSweeney’s departure, telling BBC Radio 4’s Broadcasting House, “My view then and my view now is that [Sir Keir] needs a new chief of staff… Everybody is running round like headless chickens as though there’s only one answer and it’s supposedly to get rid of the prime minister. What about all of us pulling together?”
Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police is investigating Lord Mandelson over allegations of misconduct in public office. Newly released emails from the US government include messages sent while Mandelson was part of Gordon Brown’s cabinet, one of which suggests Mandelson informed Epstein in advance about a €500bn EU bailout plan in 2010. Another email reveals a 2009 memo from Brown’s adviser Nick Butler about the UK’s economic struggles and recommending asset sales to raise funds.
Mandelson has declined to comment but is reported to maintain that he has not engaged in any criminal conduct nor acted out of financial interest. The government plans to release up to 100,000 documents related to Mandelson’s vetting and communications with Labour officials preceding his appointment, following parliamentary approval. However, the Met has requested withholding some materials to avoid compromising their ongoing investigation.
Conservative shadow minister Alex Burghart criticized the appointment, stating it had “totally destroyed” confidence in Sir Keir’s judgment. He stressed that while it would be “wrong if something were to get in the way” of police work, much of the material “could be published immediately.
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