Another grim week for Britain’s embattled government has turned into a full-blown crisis threatening the survival of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s leadership.
Fresh revelations from newly released Jeffrey Epstein files have reignited scrutiny of Starmer’s judgment, centering on his decision to elevate longtime associate Peter Mandelson to the prestigious role of UK ambassador to the United States in December 2024, according to the New York Post.
Mandelson’s previously known friendship with Epstein — who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges — has now been amplified by disturbing new documents and images.
Starmer, already suffering from rock-bottom approval ratings, moved quickly into damage-control mode on Thursday, publicly distancing himself from Mandelson and accusing his former ally of deception.
“I was lied to, lied to,” Starmer said, while acknowledging that he was aware Mandelson maintained ties to Epstein even after the financier’s 2008 sex offense conviction.
The prime minister issued a sweeping apology directed at Epstein’s victims.
“I am sorry. Sorry for what was done to you, sorry that so many people with power failed you, sorry for having believed Mandelson’s lies and appointing him,” Starmer said.
Despite the apology, Starmer insisted he had not understood the full extent of the relationship.
“None of us knew the depth and the darkness of that relationship,” he said, adding that he felt “anger and frustration” over the mounting disclosures.
The backlash has been swift and brutal. Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK party, branded the controversy the “biggest scandal” in British politics for more than a century.
Dissent has also erupted within Starmer’s own Labour Party. One Welsh Labour MP told the BBC bluntly, “Starmer has to go.”
Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn called for a full investigation into Mandelson’s ties to Epstein during a speech given in Parliament on Wednesday.
Political analysts see Starmer’s position as increasingly untenable. Rob Ford, a political science professor at the University of Manchester, described the prime minister as “essentially a boxer on the ropes.”
“His administration could fall over tomorrow, or it could stagger on for months or even years,” Ford said. “(But) his authority is seriously shot.”
Polling underscores the peril. Labour has slumped to 18% support, its lowest since the 2024 election, according to Survation.
Reform UK now leads at 31%, with the Conservatives at 20%. UK borrowing costs also rose on Thursday amid fears of political instability.
The controversy intensified after the latest Epstein records appeared to show Mandelson leaked government documents to Epstein in 2009 and received $75,000 in payments.
Images released alongside the files depicted Mandelson in his underwear with an unidentified woman.
Mandelson, who was dismissed from his ambassadorial role last September, has since resigned from Parliament’s upper chamber. Police have opened an investigation into alleged misconduct in office.
Starmer has said he contacted authorities to release footage of Mandelson’s security vetting, arguing it would vindicate him. For many critics, however, the damage may already be done.
