Newslinks for Monday 2nd February 2026

Tories call for full investigation into Peter Mandelson as he quits Labour

“Lord Mandelson has resigned from the Labour Party after files related to Jeffrey Epstein suggested he had received $75,000 from the paedophile financier and also lobbied against a tax on British bankers’ bonuses. Mandelson, the former business secretary who was made a peer in 2008, said he did not wish to cause the party “further embarrassment” over his links to Epstein. MPs and ministers had told The Times that Mandelson, who was Sir Keir Starmer’s ambassador to the US until last year, should have his party membership revoked. He said: “I have been further linked this weekend to the understandable furore surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and I feel regretful and sorry about this. Allegations which I believe to be false that he made financial payments to me 20 years ago, and of which I have no record or recollection, need investigating by me. While doing this I do not wish to cause further embarrassment to the Labour Party and I am therefore stepping down from membership of the party.” – The Times

• Mandelson resigns from Labour to prevent ‘further embarrassment’ over Epstein link – Guardian
• Labour Lord resigns from party amid bombshell allegations in Epstein documents – Express
• Shocking pics of Peter Mandelson in underwear released in Epstein files as pal warns ‘this is the end’ for shamed lord – The Sun
• Mandelson resigns from Labour Party after claims he received $75,000 from Epstein: Peer pictured in his pants says he wants to avoid ‘further embarrassment’ – Daily Mail
• Mandelson set to be ordered to give evidence in US Epstein inquiry – Daily Telegraph
• JPMorgan should ‘threaten’ UK over banker tax, Mandelson told Epstein – FT
• Lord Mandelson ‘received three payments’ from Epstein: ‘I need to investigate’ – Express

Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride takes aim at UK ‘champions’ of Trump’s tariffs policy

“Conservatives are to criticise US President Donald Trump today, and accuse Reform UK of becoming “the champions of the White House” instead of putting Britain first. Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride will call out Mr Trump’s tariff policies in a speech to business leaders at the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Policy Conference. He will stress the importance of strengthening the UK’s partnership with the US, which remains our biggest trading partner. But the Shadow Chancellor will say: “Tariffs are not the answer to our economic troubles. Increasing trade barriers is unquestionably a step backwards and will leave everyone worse off. So the approach of the current US administration is concerning.” In a dig at Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, Sir Mel will say: “It is disappointing that some politicians in our own country – in the Reform Party, for example – want to be seen as the champions of the White House in the UK, rather than being unequivocal in their stance on free and fair trade.” – Daily Express

• Reeves’s tax hikes and global worries set to scare off business investment – Daily Mail
• Growth ‘vital’. Labour urged to step up this year’s growth plans as economic ‘warning lights’ continue to flash – The Sun
• How strivers on £48,000 will be hardest hit by the Chancellor’s stealth tax raid – Daily Mail

Today

Yesterday

Labour accused of spending millions to ‘massage’ NHS figures

“Ministers are paying hospitals £3 million a month to remove patients from waiting lists, making it look like the health service is treating more people than it actually is. Sir Keir Starmer and the health secretary, Wes Streeting, have repeatedly highlighted Labour’s success in cutting the number of patients waiting for treatment — overall that has fallen by about 300,000 since Labour came to power. Two weeks ago the prime minister claimed new figures showed NHS waiting lists were down by “more than 86,000”, which was the “largest fall in a month for over two years … These aren’t just numbers — it is thousands of people getting the care they need.” But an analysis of official NHS statistics by The Times reveals that this drop was achieved only by removing thousands of patients from the waiting list through a process known as “validation” – The Times

Today

Rayner eyes the prize. Former deputy-leader gears up for challenge to Starmer

“Angela Rayner has allegedly built a “war chest” of more than £1m as part of a leadership plot to succeed Sir Keir Starmer. Ms Rayner is reportedly raising funds and has begun offering Cabinet roles to her supporters as she plots a move to succeed the struggling Prime Minister. At a fundraising dinner last week, she told her supporters that she’s “not dead yet”, in the latest sign that she is preparing for a return to front-line politics. Ms Rayner was forced to resign as deputy prime minister and housing secretary after a Telegraph investigation found she had broken the ministerial code by avoiding paying £40,000 in stamp duty on her second home in Hove, East Sussex.” – Telegraph

• By-election ‘to decide Starmer’s fate’ as Angela Rayner hits the campaign trail after building ‘£1m war chest’ for leadership bid – while Andy Burnham allies rage at ‘gutless’ No10 briefings – Daily Mail
• Tensions brewing. Keir is gutless, blasts Labour mayor as he slams party’s mud-slinging against Andy Burnham after blocked by-election bid – The Sun
• Rayner allies plot comeback to rival Streeting for Labour leadership – The i
• Angela Rayner allies fear slow tax investigation could delay her comeback – The Times
• Labour would perform better at election under Starmer than Streeting, poll finds – Daily Telegraph
• The five factions in Labour – and their danger to Starmer rated – The i

Starmer wants to rejoin EU rearmament scheme despite collapsed talks

“Sir Keir Starmer has suggested that he wants to rejoin the European Union’s £130 billion rearmament programme after rejecting French “pay to play” demands last year. The prime minister said last summer that participation in the Security Action for Europe (Safe) programme would provide opportunities for the UK’s defence industry, “supporting British jobs and livelihoods”. However, talks on Britain’s full participation in the programme collapsed after demands by other European countries, led by France, that British taxpayers contribute £5.7 billion to EU budgets for UK defence firms to be allowed to bid for a proportion of defence contracts. Instead, the UK will be able to participate only as a “third country”, which means it will have to compete with countries such as the United States for a significantly limited number of contracts. The prime minister was pressed over the weekend on whether he still held out hopes of joining the EU’s rearmament programme. He said: “Europe, including the UK, needs to do more on security and defence. That’s an argument I’ve been making for many months now with European leaders.” – The Times

• UK to reconsider joining EU defence fund – FT
• UK should consider resuming talks on EU defence pact, Starmer says – Guardian
• EUR Joking. Fury as Keir Starmer mulls over paying massive sums to join EU defence pact amid fresh attack on Brexit – The Sun
• Last military helicopter plant at risk in cabinet row over contract – The Times

Councillor rakes in £20k of taxpayer cash while based 5,000 miles away

“A London councillor has allegedly pocketed £20,000 of taxpayers’ cash while campaigning for an election in Bangladesh. Sabina Khan has come under pressure to resign after it emerged she was seeking political office in the south Asian country, which is over 5,000 miles away from the UK. Ms Khan’s salary is reportedly made up of £11,898 paid to her as a councillor and £8,702 for her role as scrutiny lead for resources at Tower Hamlets Council in east London. A councillor who switched allegiance from Labour to the Aspire Party, Ms Khan is standing for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in the Galopgonj division. The local authority is led by Aspire, which is spearheaded by Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman. He received a five year ban from holding public office after being found guilty of corrupt and fraudulent practices by a court in 2015, allegations which he denied. Social media posts appeared to show Ms Khan campaigning in the Bangladeshi city of Sylhet in January, according to the Telegraph. Council records show Ms Khan was at a meeting on January 21, but wasn’t at a number of committee meetings in person.” – Daily Express

News in Brief

• Maternity care in England is broken – who will fix it? – Theo Clarke, CapX
• Europe will lose the AI century – Wolfgang Munchau, Unherd
• The passion of the Monkey Christ – Aidan Harte, The Critic
• Juries from home would be more trouble than they’re worth – Andrew Tettenborn, Spectator