The recent scandal involving Peter Mandelson has sent shockwaves through Downing Street and is now focusing attention squarely on Keir Starmer. The appointment of a figure with such a tarnished reputation to serve as ambassador to the US under Donald Trump was seen by many as a self-serving move, which will undoubtedly fuel criticism against Starmer.
Mandelson's departure from public life may not be definitive, but his future in politics is now over. His resignation from Labour and his removal from the House of Lords are only the latest developments in this saga, with efforts underway to strip him of his title. As he fades into obscurity, the spotlight is firmly on Starmer and the team that put Mandelson in his role.
The Conservative opposition will be relentless in their pursuit of answers about what Starmer knew and when about Mandelson's connections to Jeffrey Epstein. An opposition day debate is scheduled for Wednesday, where they will push for the release of internal documents detailing what No 10 knew about Mandelson's links to Epstein at the time he was appointed as ambassador.
The aim here is not just to embarrass Starmer but also to pin responsibility on his team. The Conservative frontbench has already made clear that Starmer and his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, are equally culpable in this debacle. McSweeney's role in pushing for Mandelson's appointment is seen as a grave error of judgment by many.
The anger within Labour towards McSweeney is palpable, with some MPs calling for him to be ousted if Labour suffers electoral setbacks. However, changing the team around Starmer may only provide temporary relief for the party, as it becomes increasingly clear that the problem lies not just with his advisors but with the leader himself.
With Mandelson's scandal dominating the headlines, the question on everyone's lips is: how much longer can Starmer survive? The clock is ticking, and with each new development in this saga, it seems more likely that we will be seeing a leadership shake-up sooner rather than later.
Mandelson's departure from public life may not be definitive, but his future in politics is now over. His resignation from Labour and his removal from the House of Lords are only the latest developments in this saga, with efforts underway to strip him of his title. As he fades into obscurity, the spotlight is firmly on Starmer and the team that put Mandelson in his role.
The Conservative opposition will be relentless in their pursuit of answers about what Starmer knew and when about Mandelson's connections to Jeffrey Epstein. An opposition day debate is scheduled for Wednesday, where they will push for the release of internal documents detailing what No 10 knew about Mandelson's links to Epstein at the time he was appointed as ambassador.
The aim here is not just to embarrass Starmer but also to pin responsibility on his team. The Conservative frontbench has already made clear that Starmer and his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, are equally culpable in this debacle. McSweeney's role in pushing for Mandelson's appointment is seen as a grave error of judgment by many.
The anger within Labour towards McSweeney is palpable, with some MPs calling for him to be ousted if Labour suffers electoral setbacks. However, changing the team around Starmer may only provide temporary relief for the party, as it becomes increasingly clear that the problem lies not just with his advisors but with the leader himself.
With Mandelson's scandal dominating the headlines, the question on everyone's lips is: how much longer can Starmer survive? The clock is ticking, and with each new development in this saga, it seems more likely that we will be seeing a leadership shake-up sooner rather than later.