Keir Starmer will face mutinous MPs after Mandelson scandal

The Prime Minister has come under renewed pressure from union leaders and Labour MPs following the resignation of his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, in the wake of the Lord Mandelson ambassadorial appointment scandal.

The controversy centres on Sir Keir’s decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the US, despite being aware of the peer’s continued links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Mr McSweeney stepped down on Sunday, taking "full responsibility" for the advice that led to what has been widely described as the "wrong" appointment.

(Image: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire)

Rachael Maskell, Labour MP for York Central, told the Press Association that Mr McSweeney’s departure was "a start", but said Sir Keir had to "turn away from the factionalism" engendered by his former aide.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s The Westminster Hour, she said: "If he hasn’t understood the seriousness of the situation, then I think he will find it very difficult to continue."

The Prime Minister publicly thanked Mr McSweeney for his role in securing Labour’s victory in the 2024 general election but did not mention the Mandelson affair.

Sir Keir is expected to address MPs at a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party on Monday, as discontent grows over his leadership.

Labour MPs on the left of the party, including Brian Leishman, Ian Byrne and Kim Johnson, have suggested Sir Keir should consider resigning.

Pressure is also mounting from within the trade union movement.

Steve Wright, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, has called for Sir Keir to step down.

Maryam Eslamdoust, general secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association, told The Telegraph that "there’s no case for waiting until May, given the scale of defeat we are facing at these critical elections. It’s time to elect a new leader."

Former Cabinet minister Lord Blunkett urged the party to avoid in-fighting, warning against "a party acting like ferrets in a sack."

Downing Street has insisted that the Government’s policy direction and economic strategy remain unchanged.

The fallout has prompted a review of the vetting process after it was revealed that the security services failed to challenge Lord Mandelson’s claims about his limited association with Epstein.

Sir Keir is set to address the women’s Parliamentary Labour Party following Prime Minister’s Questions and is expected to make further public statements later this week.