Pressure Mounts on Keir Starmer to Resign After Epstein-Mandelson Revelations/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Scotland’s Labour leader Anas Sarwar has called on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign. The demand follows renewed scrutiny over Starmer’s appointment of Peter Mandelson, who had ties to Jeffrey Epstein. The controversy has triggered senior resignations and intensified questions about Labour’s leadership ahead of key elections.
Starmer Epstein Scandal Quick Looks
- Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar urges Keir Starmer to resign
- Calls come amid Epstein-linked revelations involving Peter Mandelson
- Starmer appointed Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington in 2024
- Mandelson was later fired after emails revealed continued contact with Epstein
- New U.S. Epstein files reignite political pressure
- Starmer’s chief of staff and communications director resign
- Police investigate Mandelson for possible misconduct in public office
- Labour faces elections in Scotland in May
- Conservatives and Reform UK gain ground in opinion polls
Deep Look: Pressure Mounts on Keir Starmer to Resign After Epstein-Mandelson Revelations
LONDON (AP) — The leader of the Labour Party in Scotland has become the most senior figure within the party to call for the resignation of Keir Starmer, intensifying a political crisis fueled by renewed revelations about links between former British ambassador Peter Mandelson and the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Anas Sarwar said Monday that Labour’s leadership needed to change, arguing the controversy surrounding Mandelson’s appointment had become an intolerable distraction for both the government and the party.
“The distraction needs to end and the leadership in Downing Street has to change,” Sarwar said, acknowledging that his intervention was aimed at protecting Labour’s electoral prospects ahead of elections to Scotland’s devolved Parliament in May.
Starmer Under Siege
Sarwar’s comments mark the strongest internal challenge yet to Starmer, whose authority has been severely weakened by the fallout from Mandelson’s appointment as Britain’s ambassador to Washington in 2024 — a role widely regarded as the country’s most important diplomatic post.
Starmer dismissed Mandelson last September after emails revealed the former Labour powerbroker had maintained contact with Epstein even after the financier’s 2008 conviction for sex offenses involving a minor. Critics say Starmer should never have approved the appointment, given Mandelson’s controversial past and repeated warnings about his judgment.
Starmer’s office insisted Monday that the prime minister does not plan to resign and remains “concentrating on the job in hand.” He was due to address Labour lawmakers behind closed doors later in the day in a bid to stem growing calls for his removal.
Apologies and Resignations
Starmer has publicly apologized for what he described as “having believed Mandelson’s lies.” He also pledged to release documents related to Mandelson’s appointment, which the government says will show that officials were misled about the extent of Mandelson’s ties to Epstein.
The release of those documents could take weeks, however, as they must be vetted for national security concerns and potential interference with an ongoing police investigation.
Meanwhile, Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, resigned Sunday, taking responsibility for advising the prime minister to make the appointment. McSweeney had been a central figure in Labour’s landslide election victory in July 2024, but had also attracted criticism for a series of political missteps.
Starmer’s communications director also stepped down, further underlining the depth of the crisis.
Mandelson Investigation
British police are investigating Mandelson for possible misconduct in public office following documents suggesting he may have shared sensitive government information with Epstein more than a decade ago. The offense carries a potential life sentence.
Mandelson has not been arrested or charged and faces no allegations of sexual misconduct.
Political Fallout
Opposition Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Starmer’s position had become “untenable,” accusing him of making “bad decision after bad decision.”
Since taking office, Starmer has struggled to deliver rapid economic growth, improve strained public services, or reduce the cost of living — all key promises of Labour’s 2024 campaign. Labour has also slipped behind the hard-right Reform UK in opinion polls, fueling speculation of a leadership challenge even before the Epstein-linked revelations emerged.
Under Britain’s parliamentary system, a change in Labour leadership would not automatically trigger a general election. Instead, a party leadership contest would determine the next prime minister — a process that saw the Conservatives cycle through three leaders between elections from 2019 to 2024.
Warnings From Within Labour
Not all Labour lawmakers agree Starmer should go. Veteran MP Clive Efford cautioned against repeating the instability that plagued the Conservatives.
“Be careful what you wish for,” Efford said, noting that frequent leadership changes failed to restore public trust when the Conservatives were in power.
Starmer was elected on a promise to end political chaos. Whether he can survive the Epstein-Mandelson scandal — or whether Labour turns to new leadership — may soon be decided by his own party.
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