Starmer ‘sorry for having believed Mandelson’s lies’ on Epstein as anger grows over appointment

Chris Mason
Political editor, reporting from Hastings

Image source, Reuters

The prime minister spoke this
morning with his back against the wall and
scrapping for his political future.

We had been invited to the Horntye Park
Sports Complex in Hastings in East Sussex for what was meant to be an address
about reviving high streets and local communities.

Instead, it was a speech
that felt more like reviving, resuscitating Sir Keir Starmer’s flailing
premiership.

Overlooking a cricket field swamped in the drizzly grey of
February gloom, the original topic the prime minister had come here to talk
about had to wait — at his instigation, the whole top section was devoted to
Lord Mandelson. Or “Mandelson” as the prime minister now calls him, spitting
his name out with derision each time.

This was a plea to be believed that he –
Sir Keir – is a man of integrity, even if he fouled up over his decision to
hand Lord Mandelson a ticket to Washington. And that he understands and can
confront the political pincer movement on Labour from Reform UK and the Green
Party.

The thing is, plenty within Labour are doomladen and asking themselves
with renewed anguish if the prime minister is their brightest prospect for a
very competitive future. And many are concluding the answer is no.

That
does not necessarily mean he faces imminent peril. But he’s never looked more
vulnerable.