Sir Keir Starmer has been criticized as appearing «weak, naive and gullible» in the wake of the Peter Mandelson saga, with a senior Labour figure warning that it could lead to his downfall. The party’s former deputy leader Baroness Harman told Sky’s Electoral Dysfunction podcast that the crisis has become «so serious» for the prime minister that he may be ousted unless he takes action. The pressure is mounting on Sir Keir to overhaul his Number 10 operation amid calls for his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, to be replaced. Baroness Harman suggested that Sir Keir needs to consider a «real reset» within his team and reflect on his decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as the UK’s US ambassador despite concerns about his past and connections to Jeffrey Epstein. She emphasized that blaming Mandelson for the scandal makes Sir Keir look weak and gullible, and that he should have never considered him in the first place. The scandal has put the values of the government under scrutiny, with Rigby stating that the prime minister is now «fighting for his political life.» Lord Mandelson, a former senior figure in New Labour, was hired by Sir Keir in 2025 to improve relations with the Trump administration but was later dismissed in September after his ties to Epstein were exposed. Lord Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein. Starmer criticized as ‘weak’ amid Mandelson controversy – senior Labour figure warns it could lead to his downfall | Politics News Sir Keir Starmer has expressed regret for his association with Lord Mandelson and issued an apology to the victims of the financier. However, documents related to Lord Mandelson’s appointment to a Washington position are set to be released by the government following a Conservative motion passed by MPs. It has been highlighted that certain files may need to be reviewed by the Intelligence and Security Committee before publication due to national security concerns. Furthermore, a criminal investigation into Lord Mandelson regarding alleged leaks of market-sensitive information to Epstein could further delay the publication of these documents. Amidst this controversy, Sir Keir has defended his top adviser, Mr McSweeney, and criticized Labour MPs for contributing to speculation about his leadership. Despite this, some Labour MPs have privately expressed a lack of confidence in Sir Keir’s leadership, with veteran Labour backbencher Graham Stringer suggesting that Sir Keir’s position as PM may be in jeopardy due to the handling of the Mandelson documents issue. Starmer criticized as ‘weak’ over Mandelson saga – Labour figure warns of potential downfall

A senior Labour figure has criticized Sir Keir Starmer for appearing «weak, naive, and gullible» by blaming Peter Mandelson’s «lies» for the crisis facing his premiership, stating that it could lead to his downfall. Former deputy leader Baroness Harman made these remarks on Sky’s Electoral Dysfunction podcast, emphasizing the severity of the situation for the prime minister and the urgent need for action to prevent his removal.

Pressure is mounting on Sir Keir to revamp his Number 10 team in light of the scandal, with some Labour MPs calling for the dismissal of his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney.

During an interview with Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby, Baroness Harman suggested that Sir Keir should consider a significant overhaul of his team and reflect on his decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as the UK’s US ambassador despite known concerns about his background and connections to Jeffrey Epstein.

During a speech in Hastings on Thursday, Sir Keir publicly apologized to Epstein’s victims for believing Mandelson’s falsehoods about his association with the disgraced financier.

Baroness Harman cautioned against Sir Keir’s continual blaming of Mandelson, stating that it portrays him as weak, naive, and gullible. She emphasized the seriousness of the situation, linking it to the government’s core values.

Rigby described the scandal as a threat to the prime minister’s political survival.

Lord Mandelson, a key figure in New Labour during Tony Blair’s leadership, was hired by Sir Keir in early 2025 to strengthen relations with the Trump administration. However, he was dismissed in September after his involvement in Epstein-related controversies came to light through US Congressional disclosures. The latest revelations emerged from a trove of documents released by the US Department of Justice last week.

Lord Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.

He expressed regret for maintaining a relationship with him and apologized to the financier’s victims. Additionally, documents related to his appointment to the Washington job will be published by the government following a Conservative motion passed by MPs. The publication of these files may be delayed by a criminal investigation into Lord Mandelson for allegedly leaking market-sensitive information to Epstein. Meanwhile, Sir Keir has indicated that his top adviser, Mr. McSweeney, is safe in his position, and urged Labour MPs not to contribute to speculation about his leadership. Despite this, some Labour MPs have privately expressed a lack of confidence in Sir Keir’s team, with veteran Labour backbencher Graham Stringer suggesting that Sir Keir may not have a long future as PM. The first amendment that Sir Keir Starmer had to change was effectively a vote of no confidence in him, according to a senior Labour figure. «I don’t think he’s got a very long future,» the figure said. The discussion among Labour MPs is not whether the Prime Minister should go, but when and who should replace him. The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have called for a vote of confidence in the PM, with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accusing him of a «catastrophic error of judgement.» New data from pollster YouGov shows that 50% of Britons believe the PM should step down, while only 24% want him to remain in post. The Lord Mandelson story has gained significant attention from the public, with 44% of those surveyed closely following the story. Despite the crisis surrounding Sir Keir, potential replacements like Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting have no intention of moving against him. In fact, he never should have been considered in the first place.

«To say ‘he lied to me’ makes it look weak and naive and gullible. So it’s just completely the wrong thing.»

«Peter Mandelson was called the Prince of Darkness,» she added. «It’s not a secret that he was a bad person.

«I think that it is very, very serious for Keir Starmer because it goes to the values of the government.»

Rigby has said the scandal has left the prime minister «fighting for his political life».

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Lord Mandelson had been a senior figure within New Labour under Tony Blair, but was forced to resign from two ministerial posts in scandal. He was hired by Sir Keir in early 2025 as the prime minister sought to develop positive relations with the Trump administration.

He was sacked in September after he featured in a number of Epstein-related files and photos released by a US Congressional committee. The latest revelations were revealed among a tranche of three million documents released by the US Department of Justice last week.

Lord Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein. He expressed regret for maintaining a relationship with him and apologized to the financier’s victims.

Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership is facing challenges as he is being criticized for his handling of the Peter Mandelson scandal, with some within the Labour Party questioning his decision-making and leadership abilities. The crisis has been described as «so serious» that it could potentially lead to his downfall if not addressed promptly.

There is growing pressure on Sir Keir to make changes within his team, particularly regarding his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney. Some Labour MPs believe that McSweeney should be removed from his position in order to restore confidence in the leadership.

Baroness Harman, a former deputy leader of the party, has suggested that Sir Keir needs to consider a major overhaul of his team and reflect on the reasons behind his appointment of Lord Mandelson as the UK’s US ambassador. Concerns have been raised about Mandelson’s past and his connections to Jeffrey Epstein, and these issues have further undermined Sir Keir’s credibility.

The situation has led to speculation about potential successors to Sir Keir, with Angela Rayner and Health Secretary Wes Streeting being mentioned as likely candidates. However, both have denied any intention of challenging the current prime minister.

Meanwhile, a recent poll by YouGov has indicated that the public is in favor of a change in leadership, with a significant percentage of Britons believing that the PM should step down. The ongoing coverage of the Mandelson story has captured the attention of the public, with many closely following the developments.

Despite the intense media focus on the scandal, it remains to be seen whether it will have a lasting impact on public opinion. One-off stories like this are not always enough to sway public sentiment, and it is possible that Sir Keir may weather the storm and retain his position as leader of the Labour Party.

Overall, the current crisis facing Sir Keir Starmer underscores the challenges of leadership in the political arena and the importance of maintaining public trust and confidence. How he navigates this difficult period will ultimately determine the future of his leadership and the direction of the Labour Party.

Image: Reuters
Sir Keir issued an apology to Epstein’s victims during a speech in Hastings, acknowledging that he had believed the peer’s deceitful statements about his association with the convicted sex offender. However, Baroness Harman criticized Sir Keir for shifting blame to Mandelson and portraying himself as a victim of lies, stating that he should have never entertained the idea of associating with Mandelson in the first place. She emphasized that this weakens Sir Keir’s image and reflects poorly on his judgment.
Baroness Harman also pointed out that Mandelson, known as the «Prince of Darkness,» had a tarnished reputation and should have raised red flags for Sir Keir. This situation is deemed serious as it reflects the values of the government.
The scandal surrounding Mandelson has put the Prime Minister in a precarious political position, with Rigby stating that he is fighting for his political survival.
Lord Mandelson, a prominent figure in New Labour under Tony Blair, was brought on by Sir Keir in early 2025 to improve relations with the Trump administration. However, he was dismissed in September after his involvement in Epstein-related documents and photos surfaced, released by a US Congressional committee. Lord Mandelson denies any wrongdoing in connection to Epstein.

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