LIVE: Starmer refuses to discuss political future amid Mandelson fury

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.

On anger from his own MPs, Starmer said:

Firstly, let me say I understand their anger and frustration. I am angry and frustrated like them because no one wants to see these deceits in public life. They are angry about his association with Epstein, as am I, they are angry at what he did about the tail end of the last Labour Government.

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.

Earlier in his speech, Keir Starmer claimed Peter Mandelson portrayed Epstein as a man he ‘barely knew’.

The Prime Minister said Mandelson was asked about the nature of his relationship with Epstein and whether he accepted gifts and hospitality.

He told the news conference:

The information now available makes clear that the answers he gave were lies. He portrayed Epstein as someone he barely knew. And when that became clear, and it was not true, I sacked him.

The Prime Minister also said he won’t release information from the Peter Mandelson files as part of a ‘political game’ as he admitted his frustration that police have requested some documents to be restricted.

Starmer said:

I understand the strength of public feeling. I share the anger that people feel when powerful individuals appear to escape scrutiny. And I want to be able to release those documents as quickly as possible.

I wanted to release them yesterday, in fact, and to talk about them at Prime Minister’s Questions. But the police have advised that releasing certain information now could risk prejudicing a future investigation or legal process.

And however frustrating from my personal point of view that is, and it is, I will not take any step, however politically tempting, however popular, that risks justice for victims. Because this is not and must never become a political game.

Keir Starmer has said he is ‘sorry for having believed Mandelson’s lies and appointed him’ British ambassador to Washington.

He told a press conference:

The victims of Epstein have lived with trauma that most of us can barely comprehend. And they’ve had to relive it again and again. They have seen accountability delayed and too often denied. To them, I want to say this. I am sorry. I am sorry for what was done to you. Sorry that so many people failed you.

Sorry for having believed Mandelson’s lies and appointed him. And sorry that even now you’re forced to watch this story unfold in public once again. But I also want to say this. In this country we will not look away, we will not shrug our shoulders and we will not allow the powerful to treat justice as optional.

The Prime Minister immediately addresses the Mandelson scandal in Hastings as he tells the audience no one knew the ‘depth and darkness’ of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

He said:

I entered politics because I wanted to change our country for the better. To make it fairer, safer, more secure.

And I still believe that most people who serve in public life, whether as civil servants or elected politicians, do so for the same reason, because they believe in service. Because they believe in service.

Because they believe in duty. Because they believe in the public good. But that is not why some people do it. And that is not why Mandelson did it.

Keir Starmer’s news conference in Hastings is under way.

The Prime Minister will deliver a speech about improving Britain’s communities but can expect an avalanche of questions around the Peter Mandelson scandal.

You can watch the speech at the top of the page.

Keir Starmer is expected to speak at a sports centre in East Sussex shortly.

The Prime Minister will seek to move on from the fiasco with a speech focused on reversing community decline, but is likely to face further questions about Lord Mandelson.

Mandelson has quit the House of Lords, resigned from the Labour Party, been removed from the Privy Council and faces a criminal investigation following new revelations from the so-called Epstein files.

His appointment as US ambassador has led to questions surrounding Starmer’s judgment with his political future under threat as a result.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has predicted the publication of documents relating to Peter Mandelson’s ambassadorial appointment would lead to more trouble for Keir Starmer as well as Morgan McSweeney’s departure.

She told LBC:

I think that those papers are going to show all sorts of terrible decision-making and bad judgment by the Labour Government. I think Keir Starmer is only going to get into more trouble.

Mrs Badenoch will hold a press conference in Westminster later on Thursday morning, where she is expected to keep up pressure on the Prime Minister.

Here is the moment Keir Starmer tried to get on the front foot over the Peter Mandelson scandal at PMQs yesterday.

In response to the first question posed by Kemi Badenoch, the Prime Minister said Mandelson’s actions in emailing Epstein at the time of the global financial crash were ‘beyond infuriating’.

He said he was angry with Mandelson for lying ‘before and during’ his tenure as US ambassador.

Watch the video below:

Nigel Farage has told a rally in Wales he wants Keir Starmer to remain Prime Minister until the local elections in May.

The Reform leader said Starmer’s presence in Downing Street would benefit his party, joking he wanted him to ‘stay forever’.

He told a rally in Wales:

“This is far bigger than the Profumo scandal 60 years ago. This is the biggest scandal in British politics for over one century. And I would predict pretty confidently that Morgan McSweeney, the chief adviser, will be gone pretty quickly.

I don’t know how Starmer will last as Prime Minister. Indeed, I’m very worried about it. I want him to stay forever. When I say forever I mean until May 7, when we have the elections in Wales, Scotland, London and around the rest of the country.