PM ‘has told lie after lie after lie’, says Kemi as she questions how Starmer can ‘look himself in the mirror’

Kemi Badenoch yesterday accused Keir Starmer of lying about Peter Mandelson’s appointment amid growing allegations of a cover-up.

The Conservative Party leader called for a shoddy investigation into whether Sir Keir misled MPs about the disastrous decision to appoint Mandelson as US ambassador.

He also claimed that incriminating documents were removed from this week’s Mandelson files to prevent further damage to the Prime Minister’s damaged reputation.

Sir Keir yesterday issued another ignominious apology for his decision to send Mandelson to Washington despite knowing the financier remained friends with Jeffrey Epstein for years after his child sex conviction.

But Mrs Badenoch urged him to leave and said: ‘I’m surprised the Prime Minister can actually look in the mirror right now.

‘It is clear that Peter Mandelson has lied after lie about his appointment. He was dishonest to Parliament and the country.

‘And Labor MPs should, in good conscience, see whether this man is capable of leading our country.’

The Conservatives called on the Prime Minister’s ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, to investigate ‘serious deficiencies in published material’.

Sir Keir yesterday issued another vile apology for his decision to send Mandelson to Washington (Prime Minister and Mandelson together on 26 February 2025)

He was also asked to review evidence that Sir Keir may have misled Parliament by claiming ‘full due process was followed’ in Mandelson’s appointment.

On Wednesday, Downing Street finally released the first set of documents regarding Mandelson’s appointment in December 2024.

But although they confirmed Sir Keir was warned about his disgraced colleague’s ‘particularly close’ relationship with Epstein, his response is not recorded.

The documents contain no record of what Sir Keir thought of Mandelson or why he delayed the appointment after being told it was a ‘reputational risk’ for the Government.

Ms Badenoch said there was ‘a lot of information missing’ in the files. He said it was not credible that no record was kept of why Sir Keir wanted to appoint Mandelson or how he reacted to being told the Labor ambassador had remained friends with Epstein after he was convicted of procuring a minor for prostitution in 2008.

‘I am a minister and foreign minister,’ he said.

Missing are the comments that ‘Keir Starmer’ (red box) would have put in the notes (these are the cover notes where you explain what you want to happen). They were removed. We need full details of what the Prime Minister did. ‘The cover-up efforts are still ongoing.’

The Conservatives also claimed ministers broke government rules on public spending by giving Mandelson an extraordinary £75,000 gold farewell after sacking him over his friendship with Epstein. One senior person described the payment as ‘hush money’.

In his first public statement since the files were published, Sir Keir said he took ‘full responsibility’ for the appointment, which was made against the advice of national security adviser Jonathan Powell.

He said: ‘I was the one who made the mistake and I’m the one who apologized to Epstein’s victims and I’m doing that.’

Documents released this week showed government review highlighted Mandelson’s ‘close’ friendship with Jeffrey Epstein (pictured together) before he became US ambassador

Downing Street rejected claims of a cover-up and Whitehall sources denied the documents had been redacted. But the Prime Minister’s spokesman could not explain why he had made no comment about the notes in Sir Keir’s red box.

Number 10 also took issue with the Prime Minister’s claim that all procedures in place at the time were followed. But this week’s documents record Mr Powell saying Mandelson’s appointment was ‘strangely rushed’.

In a letter to Sir Laurie, Conservative Party leader Alex Burghart said this week’s documents ‘contradicted’ Sir Keir’s statements to Parliament.

He added that statements about ‘rushed’ appointments and bypassing investigation procedures contradict the Prime Minister’s claim that proper procedures were followed.

Former Labor deputy leader Harriet Harman, who is pursuing Boris Johnson over allegations he misled Parliament, said Sir Keir should expect the same treatment.

The revelations have triggered anger among Labor backbenchers and fears are growing about what could be revealed in the next, much larger pile of dossiers in the coming weeks.

Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell accused the Prime Minister of allowing Labor to be ‘driven into the ditch’ by Mandelson and his allies.

Left winger Nadia Whittome said: ‘Victims of child sexual abuse deserve our moral consistency. How did the Prime Minister think Mandelson’s appointment would make them feel? Factional politics came first and it was a shame.’