Keir Starmer toppled by one question – all thanks to Kemi Badenoch | Politics | News
He knew. This was the highlight of a dramatic day at Westminster. The Prime Minister knew that Peter Mandelson remained friends with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but he still decided to make Mandelson the ambassador to the UK of our most important ally. Many more events took place in the Parliament. There was a House of Commons debate designed to force the government to release documents relating to Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to the US, and there was also a debate about what exactly should be made public.
Sir Keir Starmer revealed he had spoken to the King and the Metropolitan Police had also spoken to Number 10. But he will be remembered for Sir Keir’s shocking admission that he knew about Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein and gave him the crucial role anyway.
The Prime Minister was unaware that the two had been friends in the distant past; This may be embarrassing, but – if you’re feeling nice – maybe it’s forgivable. There are people who were formerly close to Epstein but disowned him after he was officially registered as a sex offender in 2008.
Lord Mandelson was not one of them. He remained friends with the man. What Keir Starmer admitted was that he knew this.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch forced his admission. He asked: “Was Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein mentioned in the official security clearance he received?”
Sir Keir replied: “Yes it did.”
This was the most important moment that could bring down this Prime Minister.
Sir Keir also insisted Lord Mandelson was asked for details and lied in response. Sir Keir told MPs: “Mandelson completely misrepresented the extent of his relationship with Epstein and lied throughout the process.”
But even if we take Sir Keir at his word, that still means Mandelson is lying about the “extent” of their friendship and doesn’t deny its existence.
Conservatives smell blood. They are trying to focus attention on Morgan McSweeney, Sir Keir’s chief adviser in No 10, who apparently lobbied Mandelson to take the ambassadorial post. But they do this because they know that if McSweeney resigns it will weaken the Prime Minister and make him look guilty too.
It’s not just the Conservatives who are worse for Sir Keir. Labor MPs are in despair. Many desperately hope that the Prime Minister will resign before the next election, but they do not know how to get rid of him. This scandal presents an opportunity.
So we saw former Deputy Prime Minister and presumptive Labor Party leadership candidate Angela Rayner speaking in Parliament for the Conservatives and against the Government in the debate over the release of the documents.
If he can be publicly disloyal, that encourages other Labor MPs to feel free to do the same.
It is not an exaggeration to think that Sir Keir’s days are numbered. We are witnessing the beginning of the end.
