Overview
- Keir Starmer avoided an immediate leadership challenge after a coordinated show of support from cabinet colleagues and Labour MPs, with Ed Miliband saying lawmakers had “looked over the edge” and backed the prime minister for now.
- Downing Street lost two senior aides in 24 hours, as director of communications Tim Allan resigned on Monday following chief of staff Morgan McSweeney’s exit over his advice to appoint Peter Mandelson as U.K. ambassador to the United States.
- The Metropolitan Police inquiry into Mandelson is active, with searches of properties in London and southwest England focused on potential misconduct in public office rather than sexual offences.
- Starmer has apologized for the appointment, acknowledged he knew of Mandelson’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein at the time, said Mandelson misled officials, and pledged to publish the vetting and appointment correspondence.
- Internal pressure persists after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar publicly urged Starmer to resign, while the scandal’s trigger—new U.S. Department of Justice files—details communications, payments and indications Mandelson shared sensitive information; he was dismissed last year and has left Labour and the House of Lords.