Conservatives are demanding that the Labour government release what they are calling the Mandelson/Epstein files in full, to show what Keir Starmer knew and when over the appointment and subsequent support for Peter Mandelson.

The Prime Minister now needs urgently to come clean on what he, Morgan McSweeney (who is a close ally of Mandelson), and his Labour government knew and when, including when he appointed Lord Mandelson in December 2024, and when he defended him in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Tories say.

They are calling for the full publication of all papers and communications between Downing St and Mandelson regarding his appointment and all vetting advice and relevant documents from UK Security Vetting. This must include all correspondence between the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff and Lord Mandelson.

Alex Burghart MP, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said: “Peter Mandelson is gone but everyone will remember that Keir Starmer wanted to keep him in post even after the nature of his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein became clear. Once again the Prime Minister has showed dangerously poor judgement.”

In a post on X, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “The sacking of Lord Mandelson had become inevitable. The Prime Minster is becoming ever more distanced from his parliamentary party.”

A Downing Street spokesman refused to rule out a new job for Peter Mandelson in a briefing with journalists.

Conservative chairman Kevin Hollinrake said: “This is absurd. The government must rule out Mandelsons reappointment immediately and permanently.”

Sir Keir Starmer is grappling with a full-blown crisis, writes Political Editor Martyn Brown, following a calamitious 14-months in government.

Daily Express senior political reporter Christian Calgie has just been to a Dowing Street briefing with Keir Starmer’s deputy spokesman following Peter Mandelson’s bombshell sacking.

Here are the key takeouts;

– Downing Street confirms that James Roscoe will oversee Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK.

– A full process to find Mandelson’s replacement will now begin.

– King Charles was informed this morning.

– The information and emails which have emerged in the past 24 hours are “materially different” and in “greater depth” than what was known before.

– Keir Starmer reviewed all the information last night and a decision was made at a meeting this morning

– The Prime Minister has confidence in vetting process.

– But the spokesman refused to say whether the vetting process should include questions about stays at paedophile’s homes.

– It was denied that Mandelson was only sacked because it was starting to become politically damaging.

One Labour MP told the Express: “People will say this raises questions about Starmer’s judgment but it really just confirms what we already knew.

“What was he thinking?

“It shows once again that he’s not up to the job of Prime Minister.”

Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty has faced a question about whether Lord Mandelson will continue to serve as a Labour peer.

Paul Holmes, the Conservative MP for Hamble Valley, asked: “Will this Government remove the whip from him in the House of Lords, yes or no?”

He also said: “The whole House can see that the Prime Minister has an issue when it comes to judgment, and only acting when he’s pushed by events in this House.”

Mr Doughty replied: “On the question about the whip, as an FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) employee, Lord Mandelson was on a leave of absence from the other place, so that’s very clear.”

Conservative former minister Sir David Davis said Lord Mandelson’s appointment shows the “sheer size of the failure of the vetting process”.

He told the Commons: “I think the House needs to understand the sheer size of the failure of the vetting process. In the public domain, Lord Mandelson had to resign for not telling the truth about an interest free loan. He had to resign, on the second occasion, because he had helped out a business friend to get a passport.

“Beyond that, there are still unresolved doubts about his behaviour as the European trade commissioner when he gave concessions to the Russians.”

A Conservative former minister has urged the Government to release all documents relating to Lord Mandelson’s appointment.

Father of the House Sir Edward Leigh, one of the longest serving MPs, said: “I just give him some gentle advice, in my experience of these scandals, the cover up and the lack of due process and the allegations of cronyism are much more serious than any original offence or alleged offence.

“So will the minister ensure that every single document is released post haste about the process, including this issue about the meeting that Mandelson requested with prime minister Blair?”

Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty did not respond directly to Sir Edward’s question, but said “officials are working diligently day and night” to ensure Donald Trump’s state visit is a “success”.

Green Party Leader, Zack Polanski, said: “Starmer’s instinct was to stand by Peter Mandelson, despite the evidence. His resignation now isn’t a matter of principle; it’s simple political expediency. It’s a symbol of a broken politics where the same insiders always fail up.

“How long until Mandelson ends up in a high-paid consultancy somewhere? While another washed-up former Westminster insider ends up in Washington? His resignation, like his original appointment, is a sign of a dirty, broken political system.”

Sir Keir Starmer is in his weakest position yet after just 14 months as Prime Minister, says political editor Martyn Brown.

He writes: “There are also still serious questions about what the Prime Minister knew about the whole unedifying saga and when. The public has the right to know the full facts.

And it raises serious questions about Sir Keir’s personal and political judgement.”

Read the full analysis here

Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty said Lord Mandelson resigned, after decisions taken by Sir Keir Starmer and Yvette Cooper.

It came as Labour MP Andy McDonald (Middlesbrough and Thornaby East) called for an inquiry into how issues around Lord Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein were not picked up.

Mr McDonald said: “The Prime Minister has made exactly the right decision and I think that has to be acknowledged. He has moved at pace.”

His statement that Sir Keir had acted swiftly was met with shouts of disagreement from the Conservative benches.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Mr McDonald replied. He continued: “Could I ask the minister, clearly the appointment process didn’t pick up these issues. That’s self evident. So could we have an assurance that there will be an inquiry as to why that was not the case, and that this House will be kept informed?”

Mr Doughty said: “This is a decision that has been taken by the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary, and Lord Mandelson has resigned.

“He asks about the processes. Of course, any candidates for ambassador positions are subject to routine, extensive vetting, and background checks as a matter of course. I point him to the formal processes outlined in the Diplomatic Service Code, which highlights the robust security clearance and vetting processes.”

Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty has warned that Lord Mandelson’s “relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is materially different from that known at the time of his appointment”.

Replying to Conservative frontbencher Neil O’Brien, Mr Doughty told the Commons: “I think the first thing that we all need to be clear about across this House, and I’m sure (Mr O’Brien) wouldn’t disagree with this, is that the victims of (Jeffrey) Epstein are at the forefront of all of our minds.

“He was a despicable criminal who committed the most heinous crimes and destroyed the lives of so many women and girls.”

Mr Doughty added that “the emails show that the depth and the extent of Lord Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is materially different from that known at the time of his appointment”.

He continued: “And in particular, the suggestion that Jeffrey Epstein’s first conviction was wrongful and should be challenged is new information.

“Lord Mandelson has resigned, that decision has been taken, and that is a very, very clear answer to his questions.”

Neil O’Brien, who tabled the Commons urgent question about the UK Ambassador to the US and the appointment process, has described “huge questions” for the Government.

The Conservative shadow minister said: “Did the US State Department give any warning to our Government ahead of this appointment?

“Did the Prime Minister’s chief of staff Sue Gray give any warning?

“Have any employees of Global Counsel visited our Washington embassy since his appointment?

“Next week is going to be the state visit. This is huge turmoil ahead of it and I cannot believe that the Government put our monarch in this terrible position.

“I am glad that Peter Mandelson has now gone.”

Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty said:”In particular, Lord Mandelson’s suggestion that Jeffrey Epstein’s first conviction was wrongful and should be challenged is new information.

“And in light of that, and mindful, as we all are, of the victims of Epstein’s appalling crimes, he has been withdrawn as ambassador with immediate effect.”

Sir Keir Starmer has asked for Lord Peter Mandelson to be withdrawn as the UK’s ambassador to the US, the Government has said.

Speaking in response to an urgent question in the House of Commons, Foreign Minister Stephen Doughty said: “In light of the additional information in the emails written by Peter Mandelson, the Prime Minister has asked the Foreign Secretary to withdraw him as ambassador to the United States.

“The emails show, Mr Speaker, that the depth and extent of Lord Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is materially different from that known at the time of his appointment.”

A Foreign Office statement said: “In light of the additional information in emails written by Peter Mandelson, the Prime Minister has asked the Foreign Secretary to withdraw him as ambassador.

“The emails show that the depth and extent of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is materially different from that known at the time of his appointment.

“In particular Peter Mandelson’s suggestion that Jeffrey Epstein’s first conviction was wrongful and should be challenged is new information.

“In light of that, and mindful of the victims of Epstein’s crimes he has been withdrawn as ambassador with immediate effect.”

Conservatuve leader Kemi Badenoch said: “Mandelson might have gone but, just as with Angela Rayner, Starmer dithered when he needed to be decisive. Time and again he puts party above country.

“He has no backbone and no convictions. There are now serious questions over what Starmer knew and when. We deserve to know.”

Nigel Farage has said he doesn’t believe Peter Mandelson can survive.

Blasting Keir Starmer’s “dreadful” judgment, the Reform leader told LBC: “The fact is, we can all make mistakes, misjudge people and have unwise friendships”

“But the fact is after the conviction, he was still trying to help him while he was Business Secretary with a business deal is just too much”

Andy McDonald, Labour MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East, has said there is “widespread revulsion” in the Labour Party amid growing pressure on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Lord Peter Mandelson.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme: “He should go immediately, his position is completely and utterly untenable and him staying on in post is causing the Government and the Labour Party further damage.

“I’m afraid if he doesn’t do the right thing and resign today then the Prime Minister should sack him.”

Mr McDonald, asked how other Labour MPs are feeling, said: “It’s 100%, people have got their heads in their hands over this and I haven’t spoken to anybody who is offering any glimmer of support for Peter Mandelson.

“It is widespread revulsion that we, by association, being in the same party, are being brought under the microscope for something that he has done.”

A Government minister will be forced to answer questions in the Commons about Lord Mandelson’s appointment.

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has granted an urgent question to Tory Neil O’Brien.

Mr O’Brien said: “The Speaker has granted me an urgent question in Parliament on Peter Mandelson this morning. Starmer gave no answers yesterday, let’s try again.”

Lord Peter Mandelson’s messages to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein were “sickening”, a Government minister said as the position of Britain’s ambassador to the US appeared increasingly precarious.

Sir Keir Starmer is facing increased pressure to sack Lord Mandelson after leaked emails showed the New Labour grandee sent supportive messages even as Epstein faced jail for sex offences.

Lord Mandelson is reported to have told Epstein to “fight for early release” shortly before he was sentenced to 18 months in prison, and told him, “I think the world of you” the day before he began his sentence for soliciting prostitution from a minor in June 2008.

Home Office minister Mike Tapp told LBC Radio he had read the emails – obtained by The Sun and Bloomberg – and found them “really disturbing and sickening”.

Mr Tapp told BBC Breakfast the emails made him “shudder”.

Peter Mandelson started out as a Labour communications director in 1985 and was first elected as an MP in 1992. He served in the cabinets of Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

The Labour grandee resigned twice from cabinet, in 1998 and 2001, became Britain’s European commissioner between 2004 and 2008, and then made an astonishing return in 2008 under Mr Brown, who made him a peer to become business secretary.

A linchpin of the New Labour project from its birth in the early 1990s, Lord Mandelsonwitnessed and participated in the feuds that dominated much of its 13 years in power.

His ability to manipulate the levers of power from the shadows earned him monikers such as “the Prince of Darkness” and “the Dark Lord”.