Brown backs PM but says leadership crisis is ‘serious’ in wake of Mandelson row

The investigation into allegations that Lord Mandelson leaked sensitive government financial information to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein will require the collection of a ‘significant amount’ of further evidence, the Met Police have said. ITV News’ Jay Akbar reports

Gordon Brown said the situation facing Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership was “serious”, but added that the prime minister was an “honest man” who had been “misled and betrayed” by Lord Mandelson.

Starmer faces increasing pressure after admitting Lord Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with pedophilia financier Jeffrey Epstein was known before his appointment as US ambassador.

Lord Mandelson is under investigation following allegations he sent market-sensitive information to a pedophile financier while he was business secretary during the financial crisis.

Asked whether Starmer was the right man to take the country forward, Brown told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I can look him in the eye and see he’s an honest man. He wants to do the right things.”

“Maybe he was too slow to do the right things, but now he needs to do the right things and let’s decide what he does based on what happens over the next few months when he tries to clean up the system, and I believe (he) will try to do that.”

He suggested there should be US-style confirmation hearings for new government ministers and senior appointments.

Starmer told MPs on Wednesday that Lord Mandelson had “lied repeatedly” throughout the review process.

But Brown said Lord Mandelson’s alleged lies during his appointment as US ambassador were “not enough to explain what happened”.

“There is a systematic failure to carry out appropriate scrutiny, to go through appropriate procedures and, in my view, to hold public hearings for anyone who would be in a senior position representing the British government.”

Brown said he regretted demoting Lord Mandelson and bringing him back into government in 2008, adding that he felt “shocked, saddened, angry, betrayed, disappointed” when he saw the Epstein messages released by the US Department of Justice.

Responding to Gordon Brown’s comments, a Government spokesman said: “Most people who enter public life do so out of a strong sense of duty and to make a difference to people’s lives.

But the shameful and disgraceful behavior revealed this week is completely incompatible with public service and it is true that no one is above accountability.

“We have strengthened the Ministerial Code by giving independent counsel greater powers to launch investigations, introduced a new monthly gifts and entertainment register, set up a new ethics commission and made sure ministers who break the rules cannot receive severance pay.

“But Gordon Brown is right that further action is needed in light of what has emerged this week – and we have already begun urgent work on how we can do more.”

The Metropolitan Police said its investigation into Lord Mandelson’s allegations of misconduct in public office was “complex” and would require “the gathering of a significant amount of further evidence”.

On Saturday the Met confirmed it had completed searches at two properties in connection with its investigation, one in Wiltshire and the other in Camden, north-west London.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Hayley Sewart said in a statement: “The searches were in relation to an ongoing investigation into misconduct in public office offenses involving a 72-year-old man.

“He was not arrested, the investigation is ongoing.

“This will be a complex investigation requiring significant further evidence collection and analysis.

“It will take some time to conduct this study comprehensively and we will not be providing ongoing comment.”

ITV News attempted to contact Mandelson multiple times about the allegations against him but did not receive a response.

But he said it before “He has no recollection” of taking some money. and said that he “did not know whether the documents were real or not”.

He insisted that Epstein’s money did not influence his actions in government.

Police searched two addresses linked to Peter Mandelson

Has the Mandelson scandal dealt fatal damage to Keir Starmer’s premiership?

Pressure from Labor ranks continued to mount on Starmer, with left winger Kim Johnson saying his position was “irredeemable”.

He told Times Radio: “I’m sorry, I have to say that I think his current position is irreparable. I have to say that.”

Starmer’s former aide Angela Rayner, who left the government last year after underpaying stamp duty on a new property, is widely seen as a potential successor to Sir Keir.

The Times reported that Rayner told friends he had warned Starmer not to appoint Lord Mandelson as ambassador because of his links to Epstein, but was told he did not want to be the one to challenge the Prime Minister.

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On the other hand, Green Party leader Zack Polanski called on Starmer to resign, claiming that the Mandelson scandal “shaken confidence in politics”.

Polanski said the prime minister “must go” after showing “catastrophically wrong judgment” by making Lord Mandelson US ambassador.

“We already know that people deeply distrust the political system and I actually think that reflects really badly on everyone,” he told the Press Association.

“I still think Keir Starmer should go.”

The Liberal Democrats have called on the Financial Conduct Authority to launch an investigation into Lord Mandelson.

In a letter to Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper, the city watchdog said: “It is crucial that Mandelson is investigated to see whether he or those he leaked information to have profited from access to this market-sensitive and confidential material.

“He and others will face criminal prosecution if they are found to have abused trading laws for financial gain.”

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