Labour MPs Leave As Support For Starmer Declines

Support for Keir Starmer among Labour MPs appears to be draining away as he fights for his political life amid the latest Peter Mandelson scandal.

The prime minister eventually told MPs – nearly two hours into his appearance in the Commons – that he did not mislead them when he said due process had been followed when the shamed former peer was vetted for the role of US ambassador.

But by then, the benches behind him were sparse as his own MPs decided to leave the chamber rather than stay to give the prime minister their backing.

“Labour MPs are voting with their feet,” one senior party insider told HuffPost UK.

The prime minister had told parliament it was “staggering” that neither he nor any of his ministers had been told that Mandelson had failed to pass security vetting.

Starmer only found out last Tuesday, and two days later sacked Olly Robins, the most senior civil servant in the Foreign Office, whose decision it was to give Mandelson the all-clear to take up his role in Washington.

“This is information I should have had a long time ago, and it is information that the house should have had a long time ago,” the PM said. “It is information that I and the house had the right to know.”

But his pleas were not met with a wave of support from Labour MPs, many of whom are furious with him for appointing Mandelson to the plumb diplomatic role in the first place.

Emily Thornberry, who is chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee that will take evidence from Olly Robbins on Tuesday, was among those who attacked the Downing Street operation.

She said: “I am afraid to say, doesn’t this look like, for certain members of the prime minister’s team, getting Peter Mandelson the job was a priority that overrode everything else and that security considerations were very much second order.”

Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan said: “The real question is why, when Peter Mandelson’s reputation was already known, was he ever considered for such an important role.”

Veteran backbencher John McDonnell said: “Many of us will remain bewildered still why that appointment took place, despite the warnings that many of us gave.

“Isn’t the reality this: that when he sought to realise his ambition to become leader of the Labour Party, with very little base within the party, he became dependent on [former NO,10 chief of staff Morgan] McSweeney and Mandelson and Labour Together to organise, fund his election.

“When he became prime minister the reward for McSweeney was control of No.10, and for Mandelson the highest diplomatic office. The unspoken message to civil servants was what Mandelson wants, Mandelson gets.”

As Labour MPs headed for the exits, one senior party figure said: “Starmer is fighting for his political life and look how his benches have thinned out. It feels like its sinking fast.

“I suspect post may Labour MPs will start saying he has to set out a timetable to go.”

Labour whips were even forced to text MPs begging them to return to the chamber to back the PM.

The message, seen by HuffPost UK, said: “If any [parliamentary private secretaries] are able to head back to the chamber, benches are looking quite empty. Your assistance as always is greatly appreciated.”

Few, if any, heeded the call – leaving the prime minister both literally and politically increasingly alone.

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