Keir Starmer live updates: UK prime minister faces calls to resign
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Cabinet members have spoken out in support of him, easing speculation that he will be toppled by revelations about his former ambassador’s ties to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Starmer is due to address Labour lawmakers behind closed doors in less than an hour in an attempt to rebuild some of his badly weakened authority, the same day his office said he does not plan to step down.
The prime minister is facing heavy criticism for appointing in 2024 Labour politician Peter Mandelson as the U.K. ambassador to the U.S. despite his disclosed ties to the convicted sex offender. Starmer fired Mandelson in September after published emails revealed his friendship with Epstein.
The recent release of millions of pages of Epstein-related documents by the U.S. Justice Department showed how close Mandelson and Epstein were, putting Stamer’s judgment under more scrutiny than ever before.
The leader of the Labour Party in Scotland, Anas Sarwar, on Monday became the most senior Labour lawmaker to call on Starmer to resign.
What to know:
- Who would replace Starmer if he resigns? While no clear front-runner has emerged, there are potential contenders: Health Secretary Wes Streeting, an outspoken government voice with rumored ambitions for the top job; former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, who enjoys significant support within the party but resigned over a tax error; and former Cabinet minister Andy Burnham, the popular, center-left Greater Manchester mayor who has long been seen as a potential rival for Starmer. The former two have offered their support for Starmer.
- What did Mandelson do? Documents published last week by the U.S. Justice Department newly suggest Mandelson shared sensitive government information with Epstein after the 2008 global financial crisis, and include records of payments totaling $75,000 in 2003 and 2004 from Epstein to accounts linked to Mandelson or his husband. There are also chatty, jokey messages pointing to a much closer relationship with Epstein than Mandelson had disclosed.
- What’s next? The prime minister is trying to persuade his party members to back him, but he faces a series of upcoming hurdles. One may come when the British government publishes files related to the vetting of Mandelson. Starmer will be hoping they show the scale of Mandelson’s lies about his ties to Epstein. Should they not, that could be a point of high jeopardy for the prime minister.
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