On Wednesday, in the face of a threatened rebellion by Labour MPs, Downing Street promised to release documents relating to its appointment of Lord Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to the US.
The BBC has been told that the number of documents, which covers all electronic communications, could be close to 100,000.
The prime minister’s spokesman has said it will make the documents available to Parliament “as soon as possible” but that it was working with the Metropolitan Police who have warned that publishing “certain documents “could undermined its investigation into Lord Mandelson.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer apologised to Epstein’s victims saying he was “sorry for having believed Mandelson’s lies”.
Labour MPs have publicly and privately been expressing their anger at the alleged actions of Lord Mandelson but also at the prime minister for having appointed him as the UK’s ambassador.
Liverpool Riverside MP Kim Johnson told BBC Radio Merseyside Sir Keir had handled the situation “appallingly” and he should “consider resigning”.
Brian Leishman, MP for Alloa and Grangemouth, told the BBC Sir Keir had “shown an incredible misjudgement in appointing Lord Mandelson and it goes beyond saying sorry”.
“Has his judgment been good enough for that office? I think the answer is a categorical no,” he added.
Stroud MP Simon Opher said the prime minister “needs to change his advisers in Number 10”.
He suggested chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, who was close to Lord Mandelson, should go over the scandal.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said Sir Keir’s position was “untenable” and called for a vote of no confidence.
On Sunday, Lord Mandelson quit Labour, the party and three days later retired from the House of Lords.