Rival parties call for Starmer to face confidence vote over Mandelson scandal as PM vows to carry on in No 10: Live updates

Labour pressure group Mainstream has called for a ‘total overhaul of personnel’ in Downing Street amid the fallout from the Peter Mandelson scandal.

The group’s interim council, which includes MP Alex Sobel, said his appointment was ‘the direct result of a corrosive political culture that must be torn out by its roots’.

They added:

A failure of this magnitude does not happen by accident. It requires a system that elevates factional loyalty over integrity, that values connections over character and that treats rigorous vetting as an inconvenience.

Everyone who participated in this process – from those who championed the appointment, to those who turned a blind eye, to those who silenced doubts in the name of political convenience – must be held to account.

Criticising a ‘politics of deference and backroom patronage’, they called for an end to ‘a culture that fears internal challenge’.

by James Tapsfield

Keir Starmer frantically tried to spread the blame for his disastrous decision to make Peter Mandelson US ambassador today as he grovelled for his job.

The PM painted himself as a victim of the New Labour architect’s ‘lies’, claiming he believed assurances he ‘barely knew’ paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein – despite a litany of reports already having exposed their relationship.

Scrambling to save his own political skin, Sir Keir stressed he ‘understands the anger and frustration’ of MPs, urging them to ‘remain focused on what we were elected for’.

Sir Keir attempted to throw MI5 and MI6 under the bus, suggesting they had failed to flag the ‘depth and darkness’ of the ties between the two men.

He also insisted documents about the vetting process will be published ‘as quickly as possible’ – pointing the finger at the police for the delay.

Keir Starmer’s premiership is in grave peril after Angela Rayner led a Labour revolt against his handling of the Peter Mandelson scandal.

The former deputy prime minister forced Sir Keir into a climbdown over the release of papers surrounding his appointment of the disgraced peer as US ambassador.

Ms Rayner is a likely contender to succeed the PM, and her decision to intervene is being viewed as a sign she believes his premiership is on the rocks. Some ministers are even said to be considering resigning in a bid to accelerate Sir Keir’s downfall.

The PM was wounded further when Tory leader Kemi Badenoch forced him to admit for the first time that he appointed Mandelson despite knowing he had remained friends with financier Jeffrey Epstein after he was convicted of child sex offences.

Labour’s former shadow chancellor John McDonnell suggested Sir Keir should quit over the growing scandal – but what do you think?

Take part in our Daily Mail poll below:

by David Wilcock, Deputy Political Editor

Kemi Badenoch called on Keir Starmer to step down and invited rebel Labour MPs to talk to her party about trying to oust him today as the PM reeled from the latest Mandelson revelations.

The Conservative Party leader said Sir Keir was failing to govern as his administration becomes ever more wrapped in sleaze associated with the former US ambassador and his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.

At a press conference this morning she branded the PM a ‘coward’ and said MPs should discuss a confidence vote with her whips.

She said that ‘if a general election is on the cards we will take it because we would do a better job’, but said she does not believe there will be one before 2029.

Ed Davey has backed calls for Keir Starmer to face a no confidence vote following the controversy surrounding Lord Peter Mandelson.

The Liberal Democrats leader has echoed remarks by Kemi Badenoch who invited Labour MPs to join Tories in holding a vote.

He said:

The British people can’t afford for this Labour soap opera to drag on for months or even years, like the Conservative Party did with Boris Johnson. We need a government totally focused on ending the cost-of-living crisis, fixing the NHS and care, and getting our economy growing again.

Keir Starmer should say ‘put up or shut up’. Let’s have a confidence vote now to see whether Labour MPs have any confidence in the Prime Minister, so the Government can get past this one way or the other and start focusing on the change our country needs.

We can now share you some footage from Kemi Badenoch’s press conference as the Conservative leader reacted to Keir Starmer’s apology for believing Peter Mandelson.

Badenoch told the audience, ‘that’s not good enough’ as she said it’s a matter of when not if Starmer is no longer Prime Minister.

Watch the video below:

Mail on Sunday columnist Dan Hodges has said he would be surprised if Keir Starmer was in Downing Street this time next week following that press conference.

Our political commentator feels the address by Starmer has made it ‘incalculably worse’ for him as he fights to save his premiership.

Starmer repeatedly insisted Mandelson lied about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and claimed he portrayed him as someone he ‘barely knew’.

Kemi Badenoch has invited Labour MPs to join her party in seeking a no confidence vote against the Prime minister.

Speaking at a press conference in Westminster, she said:

It is now up to Labour MPs to do the right thing. I know there are many of them who are horrified by what has happened.’

If they want the change they know the country needs, come and speak to my whips and let’s talk seriously about a vote of no confidence to force the moment.

She added that Sir Keir’s ‘position is clearly untenable but it is for Labour politicians to decide when he goes because it is a question of when and not if he goes’.

Hundreds of Mail readers have got in touch as Keir Starmer faced the music amid increasing pressure on whether he can save his premiership from the Peter Mandelson scandal.

It’s fair to say many of those who left comments want the Prime Minister to resign, here’s what you had to say:

What planet does this duplicitous moron live on. He’s correcting nothing and as for stabilising the economy is that Liebour speak for destroying it. The man is an utter disgrace.

Surely his head will roll after this latest travesty, Sadly a majority of the Labour party sing from the same some sheet, Wonder who will replace him? Same beer different bottle.

Deflection from his absolute disaster story of pretending to be a prime minister. First time he answered a question directly yesterday . He’s toast. Sooner he is gone, the better. Liebour are a disaster.

Is there anyone in the country who didn’t know what Mandelson was like. It was called out in the press, in the papers and by the White House.No excuses, quit now.

Speaking at her own press conference at the same time as the Prime Minister, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said ministers defending Keir Starmer on the airwaves should be ‘ashamed’.

It comes after Housing Secretary Steve Reed toured the broadcast studios on the morning round to insist the Prime Minister was lied to by Mandelson over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

Badenoch accused Starmer of ‘trying to make himself out to be the victim’ and added his defenders should think again.

She said:

This morning, Cabinet ministers were out there defending the decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, still claiming that it was a rational appointment. They should be ashamed.

Well it’s a dramatic day on the Sussex coast where Keir Starmer has addressed growing anger over the Peter Mandelson scandal which threatens to bring down his premiership.

Billed initially as a speech focused on reversing community decline, named the Pride in Place project, the PM immediately addressed the political furore following acrimony in the Commons on Wednesday.

Here are the key moments from Starmer’s press conference:

• Keir Starmer issued a grovelling apology for making Peter Mandelson US ambassador as he insisted he did not know the ‘depth and darkness’ of his ties to Jeffrey Epstein
• The Prime Minister said he was sorry as he painted himself as a victim of the New Labour architect’s ‘lies’ about the extent of his friendship with the paedophile financier
• He insisted the peer had made out he ‘barely knew’ Epstein during his vetting for the ambassadorial posting in Washington before his appointment in December 2024
• Starmer said he wanted to release documents relating to Lord Mandelson’s appointment yesteraday but was advised against it by police on the grounds it could ‘prejudice a future investigation’
• In what amounted to a plea for his job, Sir Keir stressed he ‘understands the anger and frustration’ of his own MPs, urging them to ‘remain focused on what we were elected for’
• Pushed on what he would say to Labour MPs who now believe his position is untenable, Sir Keir said: ‘I understand their anger and frustration’ but was adamant he would remain in Downing Street

Asked again about his message to Labour MPs who want him to consider his position, Keir Starmer said he intends to carry on as Prime Minister.

In response to journalists, Starmer said:

We had 14 long years of failure under the Tory government and we’re correcting that. We’ve stabilised the economy, we’ve put a huge amount of investment into our public services and we’re rebuilding our communities.

And I intend to go on doing that vital work for our country because I believe it is the absolute focus and of first importance for this Government.