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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is navigating a significant political crisis marked by a series of resignations and increasing scrutiny of his choice to appoint Peter Mandelson as the UK ambassador to the United States. Tensions are rising within the governing Labor Party as it gears up for a pivotal meeting of Parliament members on Monday evening.
Adding to the mounting pressure, Scottish Labor leader Anas Sarwar publicly called for Starmer’s resignation on Monday. As reported by the Associated Press, Sarwar remarked, “The distraction needs to end and the leadership in Downing Street has to change,” further intensifying the challenges facing the prime minister.
The turmoil stems largely from recently surfaced documents revealing connections between Mandelson and the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. These revelations have significantly altered the political landscape, raising questions about the government’s vetting processes. According to reports by Fox News Digital, Mandelson maintained contact with Epstein even after his 2008 conviction, and transactions amounting to around $75,000 were made in 2003 and 2004 to accounts linked to Mandelson or his husband.
Amidst the unfolding controversy, Morgan McSweeney, who served as Starmer’s chief of staff and played a crucial role in nominating Mandelson for the ambassadorial position, resigned on Sunday. In a resignation statement shared with The Guardian, McSweeney expressed regret over the recommendation, admitting it was a “wrong” decision. He acknowledged his responsibility and described his resignation as the “only honorable course.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, engages with Peter Mandelson, the UK ambassador to the United States, during a welcoming event at the ambassador’s residence in Washington on February 26, 2025. (Carl Court/Pool Photo via AP)
The pressure intensified hours later when Tim Allan, the prime minister’s director of communications, also resigned, according to GB News. Allan, a veteran New Labor strategist, became the second senior aide to exit as the political fallout deepened.
Dr. John Hemmings, director of the National Security Center at the Henry Jackson Society, told Fox News Digital the prime minister is now under escalating political pressure and that “it’s unclear as to whether he’ll survive.”
“Prime Minister Starmer is coming under ever-increasing political pressure to resign here in London in the wake of the scandal around Lord Mandelson — his appointed ambassador to the United States — and his connection to Jeffrey Epstein. He has lost two close aides and is under attack for his China foreign policy. The Chagos Deal is under scrutiny and his trip to Beijing was largely viewed as devoid of real results,” Hemmings said.
Alan Mendoza, executive director of the Henry Jackson Society, added: “It is extraordinary to be in a situation where a prime minister who won a landslide general election victory only 20 months ago is now on the verge of being forced to resign. We are here as a result of a series of policy U-turns and bad judgment calls culminating in the Lord Mandelson debacle. His fate is now ultimately in the hands of the Parliamentary Labor Party tonight. If he feels he no longer has their confidence, then there is every chance that this will be the end of Keir Starmer.”
Peter Mandelson speaks during a welcome reception for British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, at the ambassador’s residence on Feb. 26, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Carl Court/Pool via Reuters)
Starmer has sought to contain the damage, saying he regrets the appointment. In remarks reported by GB News on Monday, the prime minister said: “I have been absolutely clear that I regret the decision that I made to appoint Peter Mandelson. And I’ve apologized to the victims, which is the right thing to do.” He added that scandals of this kind risk undermining public faith in politics.
The prime minister now faces a showdown with Labor lawmakers, with backbench MPs expected to challenge his leadership at a party meeting Monday evening U.K. time. A senior Labor MP told GB News the “clock is ticking” and called for decisive action to “cleanse politics.”
Downing Street has insisted Starmer will not resign despite the double departure. A spokesperson told journalists that the prime minister is “getting on with the job in hand and delivering change across the country,” and he remains “upbeat and confident,” and retains Cabinet support.
Peter Mandelson sits with Jeffrey Epstein as he blows out the candles on a cake, in an undated photograph released by the U.S. Justice Department on Dec. 19, 2025, as part of a trove of documents from its investigations into Epstein. (U.S. Justice Department/Handout via Reuters)
The political damage, however, extends beyond staffing turmoil. Mandelson was withdrawn from the ambassador role after additional details about his relationship with Epstein emerged, and he resigned from the Labor Party earlier this month, leaving Starmer confronting what experts describe as the most acute test of his leadership since taking office.