The past two weeks have brought a storm for Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Two trusted allies have been forced out, leaving serious doubts over the judgement behind their appointments. The speed and seriousness of these events have shaken politics and raised concerns inside and outside parliament.
Scandal over emails sparks fury
The latest scandal involves leaked emails linking Peter Mandelson with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The exchanges showed Mandelson expressing support even after Epstein’s conviction for sex trafficking of underage girls.
Many lawmakers, especially women in parliament, were furious. They believed that standing by Mandelson sent the wrong message to victims of abuse.
In the end, Starmer decided that keeping Mandelson in post was impossible. The dismissal came suddenly, ending Mandelson’s career in government, which had already been marked by earlier scandals. But the fact that this appointment was made at all has led to louder questions about Starmer’s political judgement.
The scandal erupted when emails showed Mandelson supporting Jeffrey Epstein even after his crimes were proven in court. For many MPs, this was beyond defence. Senior voices described it as a betrayal of victims and an attack on the values the government had promised to uphold.
During a podcast, Harriet Harman said the scandal was about “whose side are you on.” She explained that leaders must always be on the side of the vulnerable, not the side of those who use wealth and power to harm.
At first, Keir Starmer appeared reluctant to act. Reports suggest he looked visibly shaken in parliament as he defended Mandelson. But when further embarrassing material came to light, Starmer called an urgent meeting with the new foreign secretary Yvette Cooper. Together, they decided that Mandelson had to be removed that same night.
Anger inside parliament and beyond
The dismissal was met with relief but also anger. Many MPs were upset that Mandelson had not resigned himself but had to be forced out. Some pointed out that Keir Starmer had built his career prosecuting child sex offenders and had promised to halve violence against women and girls. Allowing this scandal to drag on, they said, went against everything he had stood for.
This was not the first time Peter Mandelson had been forced to resign. In earlier years, he had left government roles over a hidden loan scandal and later a “cash for passports” controversy. That history made many wonder why Starmer had trusted him again with such an important position.
UK ambassador Mandelson admits ‘albatross of regret’ over ties to Epstein’s web of deceit
Adding to the storm, Sam Coates, a senior journalist, reported that two sources had told him the security services had raised concerns about Mandelson’s appointment. It remains unclear whether those warnings ever reached Starmer himself. His spokesperson said that No 10 was not part of the vetting process.
Criticism also came from Kemi Badenoch, who said the revelations “point yet again to the terrible judgement of Keir Starmer.” She demanded that all documents relating to Mandelson’s appointment be released immediately.
Two scandals in two weeks
This was the second major scandal in just two weeks, with another close ally of Keir Starmer having stepped down earlier. Together, these events have shaken the government during what was supposed to be a period of reset and renewal.
The timing could not be worse. The government had promised to do politics differently, focusing on clean leadership after years of controversy under the previous administration. Instead, the return and sudden fall of Peter Mandelson has overshadowed that promise and thrown the spotlight back onto questions of trust and judgement.
Shockwaves as Peter Mandelson Sacked as UK Ambassador to the US Over Epstein Links
The issue also risks overshadowing important diplomatic events. At one point, there had even been discussions inside No 10 about keeping Mandelson to avoid embarrassing Donald Trump, who himself has faced questions about his own links with Jeffrey Epstein. But when the emails were exposed, the scandal could no longer be contained.
With two allies gone and two scandals dominating headlines, the pressure on Keir Starmer has only grown. Every decision about who to trust and who to appoint now faces deeper scrutiny, as doubts about his political judgement refuse to fade.
