Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing huge blowback and now pressure from his own party after Labour tabled an amendment that would limit the release of government documents related to Lord Peter Mandelson’s appointment as the UK’s ambassador to the United States. It comes after it was discovered that Mandelson provided New York financier Jeffrey Epstein with sensitive information.
The dispute centers on a “humble address” motion demanding the disclosure of correspondence from Downing Street concerning Mandelson’s appointment. The government has said documents will be released, it has insisted that material deemed prejudicial to national security or international relations be withheld. This has caused anger among Labour MPs, with several warning that the wording opens the door to a cover-up. Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell said he would vote against the government’s amendment, calling it overly broad.
“This is so wide that it opens up the Prime Minister to allegations of collusion in a cover-up,” McDonnell said. He later suggested the government could be forced into another reversal as opposition inside Labour grows.
During Prime Minister’s Questions, Starmer confirmed that documents would be published unless their release posed risks to Britain’s security or diplomatic standing. Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle confirmed that debate on the issue would continue until 7 pm.
Former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner intervened by calling for oversight from the Intelligence and Security Committee, arguing that independent scrutiny is necessary to maintain public confidence.
“Given the public disgust and the sickening behaviour of Peter Mandelson and the importance of transparency,” Rayner said, reports GB News, “should we not have the ISC have the same role in keeping public confidence in the process?”
Nick Thomas-Symonds, the paymaster general, pushed back, saying the process would be overseen by the Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Office lawyers.
He added that existing mechanisms already allow the ISC to exercise scrutiny where appropriate.
The controversy comes as Starmer also faced questions about his past associations with disgraced former human rights lawyer Phil Shiner. Asked whether Shiner had ever instructed him in legal cases, Starmer declined to answer but said he had “absolutely nothing to do with” Shiner once allegations emerged.
Shiner was struck off in 2017 for pursuing false abuse claims against British soldiers and was later convicted of fraud related to legal aid claims.
The Tories have pounced on the Mandelson scandal, attacking Starmer over the lack of responsibility for the appointment. Shadow cabinet minister Alex Burghart told MPs that Starmer knew of Mandelson’s “unhealthy relationship with a man who was a convicted paedophile” and proceeded regardless.
“The appointment would not have been made if the Prime Minister had been challenged directly,” Burghart said. “But the Prime Minister knew, his aides knew, and the appointment was made anyway. What else did he know?”
The dispute centers on a “humble address” motion demanding the disclosure of correspondence from Downing Street concerning Mandelson’s appointment. The government has said documents will be released, it has insisted that material deemed prejudicial to national security or international relations be withheld. This has caused anger among Labour MPs, with several warning that the wording opens the door to a cover-up. Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell said he would vote against the government’s amendment, calling it overly broad.
“This is so wide that it opens up the Prime Minister to allegations of collusion in a cover-up,” McDonnell said. He later suggested the government could be forced into another reversal as opposition inside Labour grows.
During Prime Minister’s Questions, Starmer confirmed that documents would be published unless their release posed risks to Britain’s security or diplomatic standing. Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle confirmed that debate on the issue would continue until 7 pm.
Former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner intervened by calling for oversight from the Intelligence and Security Committee, arguing that independent scrutiny is necessary to maintain public confidence.
“Given the public disgust and the sickening behaviour of Peter Mandelson and the importance of transparency,” Rayner said, reports GB News, “should we not have the ISC have the same role in keeping public confidence in the process?”
Nick Thomas-Symonds, the paymaster general, pushed back, saying the process would be overseen by the Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Office lawyers.
He added that existing mechanisms already allow the ISC to exercise scrutiny where appropriate.
The controversy comes as Starmer also faced questions about his past associations with disgraced former human rights lawyer Phil Shiner. Asked whether Shiner had ever instructed him in legal cases, Starmer declined to answer but said he had “absolutely nothing to do with” Shiner once allegations emerged.
Shiner was struck off in 2017 for pursuing false abuse claims against British soldiers and was later convicted of fraud related to legal aid claims.
The Tories have pounced on the Mandelson scandal, attacking Starmer over the lack of responsibility for the appointment. Shadow cabinet minister Alex Burghart told MPs that Starmer knew of Mandelson’s “unhealthy relationship with a man who was a convicted paedophile” and proceeded regardless.
“The appointment would not have been made if the Prime Minister had been challenged directly,” Burghart said. “But the Prime Minister knew, his aides knew, and the appointment was made anyway. What else did he know?”
