Mandelson should hand back Foreign Office payoff or give it to charity, cabinet minister says<\/p>\n
The work and pensions secretary, Pat McFadden, has spoken to Trevor Phillips on his Sky News politics programme.<\/p>\n
McFadden was asked about the size of Mandelson\u2019s payout from the Foreign Office. McFadden said he did not know how much Mandelson was entitled to, adding that figure would be negotiated between \u201chim and his employers\u201d.<\/p>\n
Asked if he should give it back or donate it to charity on a moral basis, the minister said: \u201cI think he probably should, yes. Either of those \u2013 either give it back or give it to a charity.<\/p>\n
\u201cPerhaps one involving violence against women and girls. I think taking a payoff in these circumstances, I don\u2019t think the public will think much of that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a003.58 EST<\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/p>\n Fire Brigades Union boss calls for Starmer to go over Mandelson scandal<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the chief of the Labour-affiliated Fire Brigades Union, Steve Wright, has called for Keir Starmer<\/a> to go over the Mandelson scandal.<\/p>\n Wright told the BBC\u2019s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme:<\/p>\n I think everybody\u2019s thinking it, and people are just not saying it at the moment.<\/p>\n And unfortunately we\u2019re seeing MPs being wheeled out again today to sweep up the mess behind the prime minister at the moment.<\/p>\n And it seems that the prime minister isn\u2019t taking advice from elected people within his own government. We\u2019ve seen that he didn\u2019t listen to the former deputy prime minister.<\/p>\n He hasn\u2019t listened to his current deputy prime minister. He\u2019s listening to a factional group which are making bad decisions, it seems.<\/p>\n And I want to see the change that was promised and that this country needs.<\/p>\n Wright has previously criticised Labour\u2019s decision to block Andy Burnham from standing in the 26 February Gorton and Denton byelection<\/a> and has warned against the threat from Reform UK.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.17 EST<\/p>\n Pat McFadden was interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg on her Sunday politics programme. Here are the key takeaways:<\/p>\n McFadden said Starmer made a \u201cmistake\u201d but acted in \u201cgood faith\u201d when appointing Mandelson as US ambassador last year.<\/p>\n McFadden said there was no mention of Jeffrey Epstein<\/a> on the day Mandelson was appointed in \u201cmany media circles\u201d including the BBC.<\/p>\n McFadden said Starmer should \u201ccontinue with what he is doing\u201d, and said changing prime minister every \u201c18 months to 2 years\u201d has a damaging reputational and economic cost to the country.<\/p>\n McFadden said Starmer is \u201cmore frustrated than anyone\u201d that damaging headlines since the new year have distracted from the government\u2019s agenda, namely on the cost of living.<\/p>\n When asked if he thinks Starmer\u2019s leadership is in big trouble, McFadden replied: \u201cI don\u2019t think it should be.\u201d<\/p>\n Pat McFadden appearing on the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme. Photograph: Jeff Overs\/BBC\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.04 EST<\/p>\n Pat McFadden said Peter Mandelson<\/a>, a former EU trade commissioner and ex-business secretary, was appointed ambassador to the US because he was seen as a skilled political operator with the Trump administration.<\/p>\n The work and pensions secretary told Sky News:<\/p>\n In the end the judgment was, they were looking for someone who could operate at the highest political level with the Trump administration, who knew business, who knew trade.<\/p>\n Now that turns out to have been the wrong decision, and it\u2019s blown up in the most spectacular manner. But it\u2019s important for your viewers to understand why on earth was this appointment made in the first place, and that is the reason.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Starmer admits he ‘made a bad mistake’ but should stay PM as he has a ‘five-year mandate’, minister says<\/p>\n McFadden defended Keir Starmer and his embattled chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, who are both under intense pressure over Mandelson\u2019s ambassador appointment.<\/p>\n McFadden said:<\/p>\n I believe he (the prime minister) should stay. I think he\u2019s got a five-year mandate, which was just voted for 18 months or so ago in a general election. His task is by no means complete, barely begun.<\/p>\n And I also think it is not good for the country to change its prime minister every 18 months or two years is leading to chaos and uncertainty, economically, politically and reputationally around the world.<\/p>\n So I know this has been a difficult week, but I think we should stick with the prime minister, support him. He admits he\u2019s made a bad mistake here. He has apologised for it, and I\u2019m sure he will learn from that going forward.<\/p>\n McFadden added that Starmer \u201chas acted in good faith throughout this\u201d and is \u201chorrified\u201d by the recent revelations about Mandelson\u2019s ties with Epstein.<\/p>\n Although Starmer last week apologised for believing Mandelson\u2019s \u201clies\u201d, he did not apologise for giving him the job even though it was known at the time that Mandelson had continued his relationship with Epstein even after the latter had been convicted of trafficking a child for sex.<\/p>\n Asked whether McSweeney, who was close to Mandelson, should go, McFadden said: \u201cI don\u2019t think he should \u2026 In the end, it\u2019s a prime ministerial appointment, and I think the stuff about Morgan McSweeney is sort of beside the point.\u201d<\/p>\n There have been calls by backbenchers for the sacking of Morgan McSweeney (pictured), whom many blame for his ally Peter Mandelson\u2019s appointment to the US ambassadorship. Photograph: Leon Neal\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.03 EST<\/p>\n The Metropolitan police is investigating Peter Mandelson over allegations of misconduct in public office. Police have already searched two properties<\/a> connected to Mandelson as part of the investigation into claims that he passed market-sensitive information to Jeffrey Epstein<\/a>.<\/p>\n McFadden was asked by Trevor Phillips whether he was aware if the police had approached Keir Starmer<\/a> during their inquiries into Mandelson. \u201cI am not aware of that,\u201d McFadden said. Starmer has not been accused of any wrongdoing.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Minister says he feels angry and betrayed over Mandelson’s actions<\/p>\n McFadden is asked how he feels given he has known Mandelson a long time. He says how he feels is secondary to the feelings of the \u201cwomen who were involved in this\u201d, which is the most important thing in what he describes as a \u201cterrible tale\u201d.<\/p>\n McFadden said:<\/p>\n How I feel is a mixture of bewilderment, anger, and a sense of\u2026 this is somebody I\u2019ve known on a political level for 30 years.<\/p>\n I was his minister, junior minister, at the department of business during the financial crisis. And, you know, that was a time of all hands to the pumps, banks collapsing, businesses collapsing, people wondering whether they could keep their homes or not.<\/p>\n And the idea that he was live downloading some of the information about that to this person in America who I\u2019d never heard of, for many years afterwards \u2013 it is shocking.<\/p>\n Asked if he feels \u201cbetrayed\u201d. McFadden replied: \u201cYeah I do and it is a strange thing in politics that you can have a close political relationship with someone but there can be this entire other side of their life that you have no knowledge of and no involvement in whatsoever which has all exploded into the public realm.\u201d<\/p>\n As a reminder, recent disclosures from the Epstein files appeared to suggest Peter Mandelson sent emails to Jeffrey Epstein containing confidential information that the government was receiving to deal with the global financial crash while he was business secretary under Gordon Brown. You can read more in our explainer here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.10 EST<\/p>\n Mandelson should hand back Foreign Office payoff or give it to charity, cabinet minister says<\/p>\n The work and pensions secretary, Pat McFadden, has spoken to Trevor Phillips on his Sky News politics programme.<\/p>\n McFadden was asked about the size of Mandelson\u2019s payout from the Foreign Office. McFadden said he did not know how much Mandelson was entitled to, adding that figure would be negotiated between \u201chim and his employers\u201d.<\/p>\n Asked if he should give it back or donate it to charity on a moral basis, the minister said: \u201cI think he probably should, yes. Either of those \u2013 either give it back or give it to a charity.<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps one involving violence against women and girls. I think taking a payoff in these circumstances, I don\u2019t think the public will think much of that.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a003.58 EST<\/p>\n Foreign Office to review Mandelson’s reported five-figure US ambassador payoff<\/p>\n Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of UK politics as speculation over Keir Starmer\u2019s future as prime minister continues<\/a>.<\/p>\n Peter Mandelson is under increasing pressure to return the payoff he received after being sacked as ambassador to the US in September over his friendship with the late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein<\/a>.<\/p>\n