Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing growing unease within the Labour Party following the abrupt dismissal of Lord Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the United States. The fallout comes just days before US President Donald Trump’s state visit, overshadowing what should have been a chance for the government to showcase its foreign policy credentials.
Emails Trigger Exit
Mandelson was forced out last week after the publication of emails dating back more than a decade in which he appeared to offer supportive words to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The revelations, first reported by Bloomberg, reignited questions about Mandelson’s long-rumoured ties to Epstein.
Downing Street insists Starmer only became aware of the material on Wednesday evening and acted decisively by sacking Mandelson within hours. But critics inside Labour argue that the appointment should never have been made, given the risks attached.
Labour MP Helen Hayes said she felt “devastated” by the scandal but admitted she believed Mandelson “should not have been appointed in the first place.”
Growing Dissent in Labour
The controversy has emboldened Labour MPs already uneasy about Starmer’s leadership. Left-wing backbencher Richard Burgon warned that Starmer could face a leadership challenge if Labour performs poorly in the May 2026 elections in Scotland, Wales and local councils in England.
“If May’s elections go as people predict and as opinion polls suggest, then I think Starmer will be gone,” he told Radio 4’s Today programme. “It feels like we’re years into an unpopular government rather than one that has just replaced the Conservatives. We’re losing votes to the left, and we’ll be losing seats to the right.”
Burgon has long been critical of Starmer, but his comments reflect a wider frustration among MPs who fear the government has stumbled from one crisis to another. The resignation of Angela Rayner as deputy prime minister earlier this month left Labour bruised, and Mandelson’s departure has only deepened doubts about Starmer’s judgement.
Downing Street Pushes Back
Starmer’s allies insist he remains firmly in control and is focused on governing. With Trump’s visit this week, the first deportation flights to France under the “one-in-one-out” asylum deal, and the Labour Party conference later this month, officials say the prime minister will use the coming weeks to reset the political agenda.
One aide said Starmer’s conference speech would be a defining moment, adding that MPs would be “left in no doubt what he stands for and what drives him.”
Labour peer Baroness Smith, who served as home secretary under Gordon Brown, acknowledged that Mandelson’s removal was “not what we would have wanted in the run-up to this week,” but defended Starmer’s overall leadership. “There will always be people in the Labour Party worried about us going further and faster,” she told the BBC. “It is difficult in today’s climate for mainstream politicians to cut through.”
Conservatives and Lib Dems Attack
The Conservatives have demanded answers about Mandelson’s appointment. Senior MP Alex Burghart wrote to the prime minister demanding the release of what he called the “Mandelson-Epstein Files” — all documents and correspondence relating to the appointment.
Burghart accused Starmer of “appalling judgement,” alleging he ignored warnings about Mandelson’s links to Epstein. He also called for both Starmer and his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, to give evidence before Parliament.
The Liberal Democrats joined the criticism, with leader Sir Ed Davey claiming Starmer’s leadership was “hanging by a thread.” Meanwhile, Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, said the episode showed Labour was drifting further away from its traditional support base.
Trouble Ahead
The scandal could hardly have come at a worse time. Trump’s state visit was meant to underline the close partnership between London and Washington. Instead, much of the media attention has been dominated by questions about Mandelson and the government’s handling of the affair.
Inside Labour, MPs say morale is low. Some fear that two successive scandals — Rayner’s resignation and Mandelson’s sacking — have crystallised doubts about Starmer’s political judgement.
Yet allies argue that the real test will come not from Westminster gossip but from the public. They believe voters are more concerned about living costs, jobs and public services than about personnel controversies.
For now, however, Starmer’s authority remains under strain. His conference speech later this month will be seen as a key moment to steady nerves and show he can move beyond the missteps of recent weeks.
