Keir Starmer says top Labour figure won't return to government after Epstein scandal

Keir Starmer has ruled out Peter Mandelson returning to government after he was forced to axe him as the UK's top diplomat in Washington.

Last month the PM dismissed the ambassador from his post after further revelations over his links to disgraced paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Emails showed Lord Mandelson suggested the notorious billionaire " fight for early release " shortly before he was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Lord Mandelson was appointed the UK's ambassador to the US in December 2024. But the "Prince of Darkness" sacking was the third time the key New Labour-era figure was forced to leave a government job in controversy.

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Asked whether he could see a future in frontline politics for Mr Mandleson and whether he would allow him to have the Labour whip back in the Lords, Mr Starmer told reporters: "Not in the government in terms of future appointments.

"And I think Peter is also on a leave of absence from the Lords in any event so the issue of the whip doesn’t arise.”

Last week it was also revealed Lord Mandleson will be stripped of the Freedom of Hartlepool due to his close ties to Epstein.

Councillors voted unanimously to remove the honour from the former ambassador to Washington, who was Hartlepool's MP from 1992 to 2004. Mr Starmer is still in the process of searching for a new ambassador to the US to navigate the relationship with the unpredictable Trump White House.

Deputy head of mission James Roscoe is currently acting interim ambassador. Mr Starmer also sidestepped questions over whether the Scottish lingerie tycoon Michelle Mone should be stripped of her peerage in the Lords.

Baroness Mone is linked to the scandal-hit firm PPE Medpro that was ordered by the courts last week to repay the government over £121million for breaching a Covid PPE contract. Baroness Mone, who is currently on a leave of absence from the Lords, had the Tory whip removed in 2022 by ex-PM Rishi Sunak.

Mr Starmer told reporters: "I think if I'm right about this - I'm not across all the detail - Michelle Mone is not currently sitting in the Lords as it is. There's obviously a process around that."

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