Minister defends Starmer, saying Mandelson ‘conned everyone’ – UK politics live

The Guardian - World NewsEN 8 min read 100% complete by Tom Ambrose and Taz AliFebruary 5, 2026 at 11:50 AM

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long article 8 min

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing scrutiny regarding Peter Mandelson's ties to Jeffrey Epstein following the release of documents detailing their relationship. The government is under pressure to release details about the vetting process conducted before Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador in December 2024. A housing secretary defended Starmer, claiming Mandelson "conned everyone." Amidst the controversy, some Labour MPs are calling for the removal of Starmer's chief of staff, McSweeney, with one MP stating the mood among backbenchers is the angriest he’s seen in 16 years. Nigel Farage has described the Mandelson scandal as potentially the biggest in British politics for over a century. Starmer is expected to address questions about Mandelson following a speech in East Sussex.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Kingston upon Hull East 30% Hastings, East Sussex 35% Karl Turner 40% Dan Thomas ×240% Labour Party 40% Wales ×340% Reform UK ×250% Nigel Farage 50% United Kingdom 60% Jeffrey Epstein ×370% Peter Mandelson ×785% Keir Starmer ×890%

Keywords

keir starmer 100% peter mandelson 90% uk politics 80% jeffrey epstein 70% vetting process 60% mcsweeney 60% nigel farage 50% reform uk 50% us ambassador 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.40

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Source

The Guardian - World News

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

United Kingdom

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis.

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keir starmer peter mandelson uk politics jeffrey epstein vetting process mcsweeney nigel farage reform uk us ambassador

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