Starmer says ‘vast majority’ of Labour still supports him, even amid Mandelson controversy
Good morning and welcome to today’s live coverage of UK politics.
Despite several calls for his resignation from within his own party, Keir Starmer told the Sunday Times that the “vast majority” of the Labour party are supportive of his leadership.
“In politics, you get this sort of thing all of the time,” he said. “There is always talk. What you never hear from are all the people who are supportive, loyal and just want to get on with the job. And that is the vast majority of people in the parliamentary Labour party.
“They’re pleased to be in power. They’ve waited a long time to be in power. And they just want to get on with their job. They don’t make a lot of noise about it. They don’t talk to journalists about it. It’s really important that is reflected in these debates.”
As the pressure continues to build over his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington despite vetting officials recommending that he be denied security clearance, Starmer maintained that he believed Labour can still win the next general election under his leadership.
“We didn’t wait 14 years to get elected, we didn’t change the Labour party, we didn’t do all that it entailed to win the election and the mandate for change, not to deliver on it,” he said.
On Tuesday, Starmer’s former chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, is expected to appear before the foreign affairs committee to be questioned over Mandelson’s appointment. McSweeney resigned in February over his role in the hiring of Mandelson. Last week, Olly Robbins, the former top official at the Foreign Office, told the committee that No 10 had created an “atmosphere of pressure” that made it almost impossible to deny clearance for Mandelson.
Stay tuned for more.
Key events
Summary
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Keir Starmer and the Labour party continue to fight to maintain control in the aftermath of the Mandelson controversy. Starmer spoke to the Sunday Times about how he believed that the vast majority of Labour still supports him and that his party can still win in May.
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Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, took to the morning shows to defend Starmer and Labour, noting that in his work abroad and campaigning around the country, Mandelson is rarely mentioned and that particularly during a town hall yesterday with constituents, “Peter Mandelson didn’t come up once”. “People are more worried about the impact of the Middle East on their energy bills,” Jones said.
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Chris Philp, shadow home secretary, said that if Starmer doesn’t resign, “Labour backbenchers and ministers should develop a backbone and get rid of him”.
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SNP also called for Starmer’s resignation on Sunday in response to a Daily Mail story quoting Labour insiders as saying that the prime minister was considering sacking chancellor Rachel Reeves. “Keir Starmer is living on another planet if he thinks he can save his skin by sacking everyone else,” said Kirsty Blackman, SNP chief whip.
SNP calls for Starmer resignation in response to Daily Mail story
Kirsty Blackman, SNP chief whip, responded on Sunday to a Daily Mail story quoting unnamed Labour insiders as saying that Keir Starmer is considering firing chancellor Rachel Reeves in a cabinet reshuffle in the aftermath of the Mandelson scandal.
“This reeks of desperation,” Blackman said in a statement. “Rachel Reeves has been a disaster as chancellor but Keir Starmer is living on another planet if he thinks he can save his skin by sacking everyone else.”
Blackman criticised the Labour party for being “completed distracted” by Mandelson “at a time when families need a government that is fully-focused on the cost of living emergency”.
“That is entirely on Keir Starmer. He has fatally damaged public trust in the Labour government and is now throwing everyone under the bus instead of taking responsibility himself,” Blackman said. “If Starmer won’t do the decent thing and quit, people in Scotland can show him the door by voting SNP on 7 May to sack Keir Starmer and secure a fresh start with independence.”
Other issues coming up on the morning shows today are the King’s upcoming visit to the US and the Falkland Islands, following the release of an internal Pentagon email that discussed reassessing US diplomatic support for longstanding European “imperial possessions” such as the British overseas territory.
“The Falkland Islands are British territory and the only people that get to decide the fate of that are islanders themselves,” Darren Jones, chief secretary to the prime minister, said on Sky News.
Shadow home secretary: Keir Starmer should resign
When asked by Laura Kuenssberg on if his party was playing games around Mandelson, Chris Philp, shadow home secretary, said that integrity matters and that “Keir Starmer is the one who cloaked himself in a mantel of moral superiority” only to find himself in this situation.
“Keir Starmer should resign because he appointed Mandelson in the first place…and if not, Labour backbenchers and ministers should develop a backbone and get rid of him,” Philp said.
PM chief secretary: opposition party using Mandelson as distraction ahead of May election
Darren Jones, chief secretary to the prime minister, spoke to Laura Kuenssberg on her Sunday show this morning about the focus on Peter Mandelson and calls from the opposition party for a parliamentary inquiry into the whole situation.
“We’re not arguing about the judgement. The prime minister has said he’s made the wrong call. He’s apologised,” Jones said.
However, Jones said in his work abroad and campaigning around the country, Mandelson is rarely mentioned and that particularly during a town hall yesterday with constituents, “Peter Mandelson didn’t come up once”.
“People are more worried about the impact of the Middle East on their energy bills,” Jones said.
Jones went on to say that the opposition is “just using tactics to distract from the fact that the government is doing good work” ahead of the May election. He acknowledged the frustration that his colleagues are feeling that “there is so much time being spent on this” as they campaign around the country and noted that a parliamentary inquiry was up to the speaker of the house.
Keir Starmer began the day with a statement about the shooting incident at the White House correspondents’ dinner:
“I am shocked by the scenes at the White House correspondents’ dinner in Washington overnight,” Starmer posted on X. “Any attack on democratic institutions or on the freedom of the press must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.”
Starmer added that it was “a huge relief” that Donald Trump, the first lady and all those attending were safe.
Starmer says ‘vast majority’ of Labour still supports him, even amid Mandelson controversy
Good morning and welcome to today’s live coverage of UK politics.
Despite several calls for his resignation from within his own party, Keir Starmer told the Sunday Times that the “vast majority” of the Labour party are supportive of his leadership.
“In politics, you get this sort of thing all of the time,” he said. “There is always talk. What you never hear from are all the people who are supportive, loyal and just want to get on with the job. And that is the vast majority of people in the parliamentary Labour party.
“They’re pleased to be in power. They’ve waited a long time to be in power. And they just want to get on with their job. They don’t make a lot of noise about it. They don’t talk to journalists about it. It’s really important that is reflected in these debates.”
As the pressure continues to build over his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington despite vetting officials recommending that he be denied security clearance, Starmer maintained that he believed Labour can still win the next general election under his leadership.
“We didn’t wait 14 years to get elected, we didn’t change the Labour party, we didn’t do all that it entailed to win the election and the mandate for change, not to deliver on it,” he said.
On Tuesday, Starmer’s former chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, is expected to appear before the foreign affairs committee to be questioned over Mandelson’s appointment. McSweeney resigned in February over his role in the hiring of Mandelson. Last week, Olly Robbins, the former top official at the Foreign Office, told the committee that No 10 had created an “atmosphere of pressure” that made it almost impossible to deny clearance for Mandelson.
Stay tuned for more.
