‘I got shivers listening to Mandelson – it was like my Prince Andrew interview’
Keir Starmer has said Peter Mandelson has his support after his birthday message to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein was exposed in the financier’s 50th birthday book. The PM says Mandelson stays, but for how long?
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In brief…
- Emily Maitlis says the grilling of Peter Mandelson over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is reminiscent of her own interview with Prince Andrew, as both played down their relationship with the man, albeit in different circumstances.
- Mandelson has been sacked a trade envoy to the US, "in the light of additional information" which has been revealed about his relationship with Epstein.
- The News Agents say that Starmer's initial support for Mandelson, so soon after Angela Rayner’s departure from government, raises questions about how Labour deals with men versus women, and “posh versus poor” within its party.
What’s the story?
Peter Mandelson has been sacked by Keir Starmer from his role as UK ambassador to the US, less than 24 hours after the Prime Minister said he had confidence in his American envoy.
Speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday, 10 September, Starmer said Mandelson had his "support".
Jon Sopel describes this comment by the Prime Minister as “watery thin”.
Mandelson has spoken on a podcast with The Sun newspaper, in which he expresses “profound regret” that he stayed in touch with Epstein after his conviction, and also admits more correspondence between the two will emerge in the coming days and weeks.
And, for now, Mandelson remains in his role.
It is alleged Mandelson stayed with Epstein on his island after the disgraced financier’s crimes had been revealed.
Additionally, The Telegraph revealed how Mandelson, while serving in government as business secretary, was also brokering a £1 billion deal with Epstein, on behalf of the government, months after he was first released from prison.
“I got the shivers watching that interview this morning, because it was exactly the same line of questioning that I put to Prince Andrew nearly six years ago,” says Emily Maitlis.
“Obviously the allegations were very different – these were financial, they were not sexual, but it is pretty much the same line of questioning – why did you carry on being his friend or being his associate after you knew.”
“Now we've got a man who was in the House of Lords smoothing the path to a billion pound deal with a man who'd been convicted of sex abuse. He's now our ambassador to Washington. Why should our reaction be any different?”
Can Peter Mandelson keep his job?
Discussing Mandelson’s future during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons, Keir Starmer said Mandelson remains “very important” to the UK’s work in securing a trade deal with Trump’s America, under his ongoing tariffs scheme.
“That doesn't answer the question about his judgment over a convicted pedophile,” Emily says..
“It suggests that he thinks that the trade deal is now more important and more urgent, to keep a man whose judgment has been shown time and again to be lacking in a very prestigious job.
“I’m not sure how comfortable that's going to be for many in the Labour Party.”
Why Rayner’s departure makes the Mandelson situation ‘very difficult’ for Starmer
Angela Rayner, former deputy prime minister, stepped down from her cabinet role this month due to an underpayment of £40,000 on a second home, supporting Labour’s attempt to keep its government sleaze and corruption free – even if she was largely seen as having made a “silly, careless” mistake.
Mandelson is a very different problem for Starmer.
“You're now dealing with an ambassador, somebody who's been in several government jobs, who managed to maintain a relationship with a convicted pedophile,” Emily says.
“If you're Keir Starmer, you are now facing some really grim questions about women versus men in public life, about posh versus poor, about diplomatic versus council estate.
“I think if Rayner was now looking at this – and obviously she hasn't spoken out, I doubt she will – you'd be spitting blood.”
All the contenders to take Rayner’s place are women, and she adds that their views on Mandelson are what she now wants to hear.
Already, London MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy, who is in the running for the deputy leader role, has said Mandelson should not remain as the UK’s ambassador to the US.
Read more:
‘The Epstein book is the one thing that has Trump genuinely scared’
Prince Andrew 'met with 40 escorts on taxpayer-funded Thailand trip', biographer claims
Why Ghislaine Maxwell is the one story Donald Trump simply cannot sell
What’s The News Agents’ take?
The News Agents have previously criticised Labour for its lack of communication skills, and its inability to take control of public conversation.
Jon Sopel says this is another example of Starmer’s government failing to get “in front” of a story, and make details known before they can be uncovered by other means.
Starmer told the House of Commons that all “due process” had been followed in appointing Mandelson to the role.
"When he says due process was done, that's an empty phrase,” Emily says.
“If due process was done and it didn't reveal any of this stuff, then what kind of a process is it? It didn't work.
“And if due process wasn't done, then he's lying about it.”
More Labour MPs have also called for Mandelson to go, which will put more pressure on Starmer to act.
“Whichever way you look at it, it becomes increasingly difficult for Peter Mandelson to stay in a job once all this stuff is public,” Emily adds.
“It becomes increasingly hard for Starmer to justify firing a deputy working class woman when he's not firing an ambassador who is clearly linked in some way or other to a convicted pedophile.”