‘Beggars belief’ – fury mounts over Starmer handing Mandelson £75K | Politics | News

The extent of Keir Starmer’s Mandelson problem became clear when documents revealed to Parliament on Wednesday night confirmed he was warned in writing that appointing his disgraced colleague posed a “reputation risk” and later paid him £75,000, almost twice what his contract required.

Mandelson walked away with £40,330 in contractual notice pay, plus a further £34,670 described as “special severance pay”; According to reports, Whitehall sources said the agreement was reached in addition to that amount to avoid a devastating employment tribunal fight. His lawyers allegedly sought £547,000 on the grounds that his dismissal “permanently prejudiced his employability”. Pexress understands that the letter authorizing the package was signed by Sir Olly Robbins, permanent secretary at the Foreign Office, and that both Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and No 10 were informed before the deal was struck.

The payment was just one of several damaging details reportedly buried in 147 pages of documents ordered to be handed over to the Government by MPs – showing a Prime Minister receiving clear written warnings about Mandelson’s Epstein ties – and still ongoing.

What did the documents reveal?

According to the Daily Mail, the Cabinet Office’s due diligence memo told Starmer that Mandelson’s friendship with the pedophile financier outlasted Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution and “began between 2009 and 2011, when he was business secretary, and continued after the end of the Labor government.” The same document flags newspaper reports that Mandelson was a guest at Epstein’s New York mansion while Epstein was behind bars in 2009, the report said.

In a separate note sent to the Prime Minister, the political exposure he was undertaking was mentioned. “If something goes wrong, you may be more exposed because the person is more personally connected to you,” authorities wrote. The Cabinet Office concluded that the appointment would pose a “general reputational risk” to the Government.

Starmer appointed him regardless; a man who was shamefully expelled from the Cabinet on two separate occasions. More importantly, Mandelson was given access to top-secret documents before his security review was approved. One Whitehall insider also pointed the finger at Sir Olly Robbins for this decision.

‘Beggars’ belief’

Shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart rejected Starmer’s defense that he had been deceived. “The Prime Minister claims he was lied to; this fact-finding document did not lie to him. Mandelson may have denied these allegations, and if so, perhaps the Prime Minister was lied to, but by an incorrigible liar who has been sacked twice before. We are supposed to believe that the Prime Minister, who was once attorney-general in this country, cannot see through this nonsense. It is not credible,” the Daily Mail quoted him as saying.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch used the comments to call on Labor MPs to take action against their own leader. “There are not enough Conservative MPs to remove the Prime Minister; he won by a landslide. Labor MPs now need to consider their conscience and their position and ask whether this man is fit to lead our country.” On whether Starmer should resign, he told Sky News: “We can’t get him to resign. The only people who can fix this are the Labor backbenchers.”

Starmer’s defense

Treasury Chief Secretary Darren Jones insisted Starmer had come to terms with his mistake. “He accepted it was a mistake and apologized for believing Peter Mandelson’s lies in particular,” Jones told MPs, adding that the due diligence process “fell short of what was required”. He called on Mandelson to donate the money to charity, saying the sum was a cheaper option than a protracted legal battle.

The documents allegedly show Starmer’s then chief of staff Morgan McSweeney – a close friend of Mandelson and the driving force behind his appointment – asked his colleague three follow-up questions about his Epstein ties. Starmer said Mandelson lied in response. These answers are being withheld at the request of the Metropolitan Police, who are investigating Mandelson on suspicion of misconduct in a public office.

Mandelson denies any wrongdoing. The Express approached Downing Street for comment from the Prime Minister.