BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg skewers minister over Keir Starmer | Politics | News
Laura Kuenssberg ripped into Sir Keir Starmer’s judgment of Lord Mandelson as she grilled a Cabinet minister this morning. The prime minister is vying for the premiership after appointing his peer as US ambassador, despite knowing that his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein continued after he was convicted of soliciting a minor for prostitution in 2008.
The BBC presenter pressed Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden to hand over Sir Keir’s Washington post to him. Referring to the vetting process for his appointment, she said: “We know that after the Prime Minister was given the original report that he asked three questions of Peter Mandelson, only three questions.
“He asked her why she continued her friendship after he was convicted, whether she stayed at the mansion owned by Epstein in New York, and whether she continued to be involved in a charity affiliated with Epstein.
“The Prime Minister, who was once the head of the prosecutor’s office, asked only three questions.”
Mr McFadden replied: “I don’t know if that’s the full picture, but I also think it’s important to remember that Peter Mandelson has not been rescued from obscurity or embarrassment for this post.”
The BBC presenter continued: “But this is about the decision of the Prime Minister of this country to employ him for one of the most high-profile jobs. And of course the benefit of hindsight can be 20/20. But the Prime Minister’s curiosity seems to have fallen far, far short here.”
Mr McFadden said: “I believe the Prime Minister will ask about that relationship. It seems to me that Peter Mandelson will have greatly diminished that relationship, portraying himself as the victim of some form of deception rather than what has emerged in the interviews we have seen.”
But the BBC presenter continued to press Mr McFadden, saying: “This is about the Prime Minister’s personal decision. He made that decision and decided it was a risk worth taking and it blew up in his face.”
Turning to questions about Sir Keir’s leadership, he added: “This raises questions for a lot of people in your own party about whether the Prime Minister is making the right decisions on all sorts of issues. Do you accept that Keir Starmer’s leadership is in deep trouble at the moment?”
Mr McFadden replied: “I don’t think it should have happened that way. I think he worked hard for his country, it was the wrong decision but he had a five-year term from the general election just 18 months ago, he was focused on the cost of living. “He is more disappointed than anyone that a number of stories have emerged since the new year that have distracted from that.
“Also, I do not think that changing the Prime Minister every 18 months or every two years is good for the country. This has an economic cost, a cost of trust, a cost of international reputation.
“I appreciate that this has been a week full of terrible headlines, my thoughts in all of this are for the victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s actions. But I believe the Prime Minister is a man of good will and I think he should have the support of the party and get on with his job.”
