Jeffrey Epstein
Keir Starmer
Labour Party
Peter Mandelson
UK Government
National government
Politics
Scotland

KEIR Starmer was forced into a humiliating climbdown in the Commons as MPs forced the UK Government to release the Mandelson files.

The Prime Minister was forced to amend his own amendment to the Tory motion calling for the release of all documents relating to the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US.

His initial amendment, which threatened an embarrassing backbench rebellion, tried to give the Government a veto on materials it considered to be “prejudicial to UK national security or international relations”.

This was watered down to sending those documents to Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), a compromise the Tories found acceptable.

After hours of debate and damaging criticism from his own party, the motion as amended by the Prime Minister passed without a division.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (R) and former British ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson (Image: Carl Court)

Towards the end of the debate, the Metropolitan Police told the UK Government not to release “certain documents” in the Mandelson files, which it said could “undermine our current investigation” into allegations against the peer.

Mandelson is currently facing allegations of misconduct in public office over claims he leaked market sensitive information to Epstein, during his former role as business secretary amid the financial crisis.

READ MORE: Keir Starmer admits knowledge of Peter Mandelson's Jeffrey Epstein links