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Police searches linked to Jeffrey Epstein have thrust Britain’s government into fresh turmoil — and placed Prime Minister Keir Starmer under mounting pressure.
According to NBC News, officers searched two homes belonging to senior Labour figure Peter Mandelson on Friday as part of an investigation into alleged misconduct in public office. The Metropolitan Police said the action was tied to an ongoing probe. No arrests have been made.
The investigation relates to Mandelson’s past association with Epstein. Newly released U.S. Justice Department documents reportedly show Mandelson sharing government information with the disgraced financier while serving as business secretary.
In a 2009 message about a planned tax on bankers’ bonuses, Mandelson wrote: “Trying hard to amend. Treasury digging in but I am on [the] case.” In another exchange, he forwarded an internal briefing note, adding: “Interesting note that’s gone to the PM.”
Mandelson has denied wrongdoing and previously said he had no knowledge of Epstein’s crimes.
Shock exit at No. 10
The political fallout escalated Sunday when Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, resigned.
“The decision to appoint Peter Mandelson was wrong,” McSweeney said. “I advised the Prime Minister to make that appointment and I take full responsibility for that advice.” He added that Mandelson had “damaged our party, our country and trust in politics itself.”
Starmer responded by thanking McSweeney for his service, saying he owed him “a debt of gratitude,” but did not mention Mandelson in his statement.
Judgment questioned
Starmer has acknowledged that he was aware of Mandelson’s prior relationship with Epstein when he nominated him as ambassador to the United States in December 2024. However, he said Mandelson had “lied repeatedly” about the extent of the contact.
The prime minister apologized to victims for “believing Mandelson’s lies” and said the former minister had “betrayed our country.”
Analysts say the episode cuts deeply into Starmer’s pledge to deliver steady, scandal-free leadership.
“It seems yet another example of Starmer’s lack of political judgment and poor decision-making,” Peter Dorey of Cardiff University told NBC News. “His most serious yet.”
Leadership on the line?
Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch has called Starmer’s position “untenable,” while some Liberal Democrats are pushing for a confidence vote. A small group of Labour lawmakers has also publicly questioned his future.
Even so, experts suggest Starmer may avoid an immediate leadership challenge, partly because potential successors face complications of their own.
But with local elections looming and his authority weakened, the Epstein-linked controversy may prove the defining crisis of his premiership.
Sources: NBC News
