Kemi Badenoch has accused Keir Starmer (Labour) of lying about his knowledge of Lord Peter Mandelson's emails to Jeffrey Epstein that led to the peer's dismissal as US ambassador. The Conservative Party leader said the Prime Minister has "very serious questions to answer" and demanded "full transparency" about who knew what and when.
The Foreign Office received a media inquiry about the emails on Tuesday and passed this to Downing Street, according to sources. Starmer is understood not to have been aware of the email contents until Wednesday evening - after he had told the Commons he had "confidence" in Mandelson during Prime Minister's Questions at midday.
Timeline controversy
Badenoch claimed that if Downing Street possessed the emails for 48 hours before taking action, this proves Starmer lied during PMQs. "If No 10 had those emails for 48 hours before acting, it means he lied at PMQs and ministers lied again about new additional information," she said in a post on X.
The Government maintained that the published emails revealed "new information" about Mandelson's relationship with Epstein that was "materially different from that known at the time of his appointment". Officials said the emails came from a long-closed account that was unavailable during the vetting process.
Email contents revealed
The controversial emails showed Mandelson telling Epstein to "fight for early release" shortly before the disgraced financier was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Mandelson also reportedly told Epstein "I think the world of you" the day before he began his sentence for soliciting prostitution from a minor in June 2008.
Sir Oliver Robbins, the permanent under-secretary at the Foreign Office, had asked Mandelson about the emails but did not receive a response until Wednesday afternoon, according to Government sources. The decision to dismiss Mandelson was taken Thursday morning and announced shortly afterwards.
Vetting process under scrutiny
Dame Emily Thornberry, chairwoman of Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, has demanded answers from the Foreign Secretary on the vetting process for Mandelson. Questions have also been raised about the judgment of chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, who was reported to have lobbied for Mandelson's appointment.
Downing Street said on Friday that Starmer has "confidence in his top team" when asked about McSweeney's role. Allies of Mandelson said he admitted in his vetting interview that he continued his relationship with Epstein for many years.
Political pressure mounts
This marks the second scandal-hit departure for the Government within a week, following Angela Rayner's resignation over her tax affairs. The twin crises have intensified pressure on Starmer's leadership and decision-making processes.
Labour backbencher Clive Lewis publicly questioned Starmer's leadership, telling the BBC the Prime Minister does not seem "up to the job". Fellow MP Barry Gardiner warned that "toxic" resentment was festering among party MPs and rank-and-file members.
Culture change demands
Lucy Powell, one of two candidates in the race to take Rayner's place as deputy leader, called for a "change of culture". "We've got a bit of a groupthink happening at the top, that culture of not being receptive to interrogation, not being receptive to differing views," she told The Guardian.
Scotland Secretary Douglas Alexander told BBC Breakfast he understood why Labour MPs were "despondent" after the last week's events, but said action had been taken and the Government was looking forward to moving on. During a trip to Ukraine, newly appointed Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the decision to sack Mandelson was "rightly taken" and backed Starmer's "strong leadership".
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
