LIVE: Starmer vows to carry on as PM amid Mandelson fury

Mail on Sunday columnist Dan Hodges has said he would be surprised if Keir Starmer was in Downing Street this time next week following that press conference.

Our political commentator feels the address by Starmer has made it ‘incalculably worse’ for him as he fights to save his premiership.

Starmer repeatedly insisted Mandelson lied about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and claimed he portrayed him as someone he ‘barely knew’.

Kemi Badenoch has invited Labour MPs to join her party in seeking a no confidence vote against the Prime minister.

Speaking at a press conference in Westminster, she said:

It is now up to Labour MPs to do the right thing. I know there are many of them who are horrified by what has happened.’

If they want the change they know the country needs, come and speak to my whips and let’s talk seriously about a vote of no confidence to force the moment.

She added that Sir Keir’s ‘position is clearly untenable but it is for Labour politicians to decide when he goes because it is a question of when and not if he goes’.

Hundreds of Mail readers have got in touch as Keir Starmer faced the music amid increasing pressure on whether he can save his premiership from the Peter Mandelson scandal.

It’s fair to say many of those who left comments want the Prime Minister to resign, here’s what you had to say:

What planet does this duplicitous moron live on. He’s correcting nothing and as for stabilising the economy is that Liebour speak for destroying it. The man is an utter disgrace.

• Peregrine65

Surely his head will roll after this latest travesty, Sadly a majority of the Labour party sing from the same some sheet, Wonder who will replace him? Same beer different bottle.

• Smudger432

Deflection from his absolute disaster story of pretending to be a prime minister. First time he answered a question directly yesterday . He’s toast. Sooner he is gone, the better. Liebour are a disaster.

Is there anyone in the country who didn’t know what Mandelson was like. It was called out in the press, in the papers and by the White House.No excuses, quit now.

Speaking at her own press conference at the same time as the Prime Minister, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said ministers defending Keir Starmer on the airwaves should be ‘ashamed’.

It comes after Housing Secretary Steve Reed toured the broadcast studios on the morning round to insist the Prime Minister was lied to by Mandelson over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

Badenoch accused Starmer of ‘trying to make himself out to be the victim’ and added his defenders should think again.

She said:

This morning, Cabinet ministers were out there defending the decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, still claiming that it was a rational appointment. They should be ashamed.

Well it’s a dramatic day on the Sussex coast where Keir Starmer has addressed growing anger over the Peter Mandelson scandal which threatens to bring down his premiership.

Billed initially as a speech focused on reversing community decline, named the Pride in Place project, the PM immediately addressed the political furore following acrimony in the Commons on Wednesday.

Here are the key moments from Starmer’s press conference:

• Keir Starmer issued a grovelling apology for making Peter Mandelson US ambassador as he insisted he did not know the ‘depth and darkness’ of his ties to Jeffrey Epstein
• The Prime Minister said he was sorry as he painted himself as a victim of the New Labour architect’s ‘lies’ about the extent of his friendship with the paedophile financier
• He insisted the peer had made out he ‘barely knew’ Epstein during his vetting for the ambassadorial posting in Washington before his appointment in December 2024
• Starmer said he wanted to release documents relating to Lord Mandelson’s appointment yesteraday but was advised against it by police on the grounds it could ‘prejudice a future investigation’
• In what amounted to a plea for his job, Sir Keir stressed he ‘understands the anger and frustration’ of his own MPs, urging them to ‘remain focused on what we were elected for’
• Pushed on what he would say to Labour MPs who now believe his position is untenable, Sir Keir said: ‘I understand their anger and frustration’ but was adamant he would remain in Downing Street

Asked again about his message to Labour MPs who want him to consider his position, Keir Starmer said he intends to carry on as Prime Minister.

In response to journalists, Starmer said:

We had 14 long years of failure under the Tory government and we’re correcting that. We’ve stabilised the economy, we’ve put a huge amount of investment into our public services and we’re rebuilding our communities.

And I intend to go on doing that vital work for our country because I believe it is the absolute focus and of first importance for this Government.

Keir Starmer said the security vetting process needs to be looked at again after Peter Mandelson’s appointment was cleared.

He told the audience in Hastings:

There was a due diligence exercise that culminated in questions being asked because I wanted to know the answer to certain issues. That’s why those questions were asked. The answer to those questions were not truthful.

There was then, I should add, security vetting carried out independently by the security services, which is an intensive exercise that gave him clearance for the role, and you have to go through that before you take up the post. Clearly, both the due diligence and the security vetting need to be looked at again.

Starmer says he understands the ‘anger and frustration’ of Labour MPs at his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as British ambassador to Washington, despite knowing his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

Addressing reporters, the Prime Minister was pressed on some of his own MPs publicly saying he should stand down to restore trust in politics.

He said:

Let me say I understand their anger and frustration. I am angry and frustrated like them, because nobody wants to see these deceits in public life. They are angry about his association with Epstein, as am I.

They’re angry about what he did at the tail end of the last Labour government, and frustrated, as am I, that the full information of what was asked and answered when he was appointed can’t be in the public domain.

Here are the opening remarks by Keir Starmer as he immediately addressed the Peter Mandelson scandal during his press conference in Hastings.

Keir Starmer is clearly rattled as he faces questions on Peter Mandelson.

Asked if he will consider his future as Prime Minister on the grounds of Labour MPs feeling his position is untenable, Starmer refuses to discuss his future.

He said he was elected to change the country and admits frustration his Pride of Place project won’t be on tomorrow’s front pages.

He said:

I was elected in on a mandate in 2024 to change the country for the better.

As mentioned earlier by Dan Hodges, Keir Starmer has attempted to clarify his remarks in PMQs that he was aware of Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein’s ongoing relationship.

Starmer says while it was known ‘publicly for sometime they knew each other’ Epstein was questioned over the ‘nature and extent’ of his relationship.

The PM says he was ‘partly inhibited’ in his answer to Kemi Badenoch by police.

He then reiterates Mandelson deliberately gave the impression he barely knew Epstein which he believed to be the truth.

He said:

I had no reason at that stage to think that was anything other than the truth, and therefore we proceeded. What I learnt in September was that was not the truth. When further emails came to light … and having asked some further questions, including questions about whether Mandelson received gifts, benefits and hospitality, and the nature of the relationship, I sacked Mandelson from the role.

Keir Starmer said Britain will ‘pursue the truth’ following new emails released as part of the Epstein files.

He said the country will not ‘look away’ and ‘shrug our shoulders’ after new disclosures led to a huge political scandal.

He added:

We will uphold the integrity of public life, and we will do everything within our power and in the interests of justice.

To ensure accountability is delivered. That is what the public expects. That is what the victims deserve, and it is what I will do.