Starmer says ‘vast majority’ of Labour still supports him, even amid Mandelson controversy<\/p>\n
Good morning and welcome to today\u2019s live coverage of UK politics.<\/p>\n
Despite several calls for his resignation from within his own party, Keir Starmer told the Sunday Times<\/a> that the \u201cvast majority\u201d of the Labour party are supportive of his leadership.<\/p>\n \u201cIn politics, you get this sort of thing all of the time,\u201d he said. \u201cThere is always talk. What you never hear from are all the people who are supportive, loyal and just want to get on with the job. And that is the vast majority of people in the parliamentary Labour<\/a> party.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re pleased to be in power. They\u2019ve waited a long time to be in power. And they just want to get on with their job. They don\u2019t make a lot of noise about it. They don\u2019t talk to journalists about it. It\u2019s really important that is reflected in these debates.\u201d<\/p>\n As the pressure continues to build over his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson<\/a> as ambassador to Washington despite vetting officials recommending that he be denied security clearance, Starmer maintained that he believed Labour can still win the next general election under his leadership.<\/p>\n \u201cWe didn\u2019t wait 14 years to get elected, we didn\u2019t change the Labour party, we didn\u2019t do all that it entailed to win the election and the mandate for change, not to deliver on it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n On Tuesday, Starmer\u2019s former chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, is expected to appear before the foreign affairs committee to be questioned over Mandelson\u2019s appointment. McSweeney resigned in February over his role in the hiring of Mandelson. Last week, Olly Robbins, the former top official at the Foreign Office, told the committee<\/a> that No 10 had created an \u201catmosphere of pressure\u201d that made it almost impossible to deny clearance for Mandelson.<\/p>\n Stay tuned for more.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/p>\n Other issues coming up on the morning shows today are the King\u2019s upcoming visit to the US and the Falkland Islands, following the release of an internal Pentagon email that discussed reassessing US diplomatic support<\/a> for longstanding European \u201cimperial possessions\u201d such as the British overseas territory.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Falkland Islands are British territory and the only people that get to decide the fate of that are islanders themselves,\u201d Darren Jones, chief secretary to the prime minister, said on Sky News<\/a>.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Shadow home secretary: Keir Starmer should resign<\/p>\n When asked by Laura Kuenssberg on if his party was playing games around Mandelson, Chris Philp, shadow home secretary, said that integrity matters and that \u201cKeir Starmer is the one who cloaked himself in a mantel of moral superiority\u201d only to find himself in this situation.<\/p>\n \u201cKeir Starmer should resign because he appointed Mandelson in the first place\u2026and if not, Labour<\/a> backbenchers and ministers should develop a backbone and get rid of him,\u201d Philp said.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>PM chief secretary: opposition party using Mandelson as distraction ahead of May election<\/p>\n Darren Jones, chief secretary to the prime minister, spoke to Laura Kuenssberg on her Sunday show this morning about the focus on Peter Mandelson and calls from the opposition party for a parliamentary inquiry into the whole situation.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not arguing about the judgement. The prime minister has said he\u2019s made the wrong call. He\u2019s apologised,\u201d Jones said.<\/p>\n However, Jones said in his work abroad and campaigning around the country, Mandelson is rarely mentioned and that particularly during a town hall yesterday<\/a> with constituents, \u201cPeter Mandelson didn\u2019t come up once\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople are more worried about the impact of the Middle East on their energy bills,\u201d Jones said.<\/p>\n Jones went on to say that the opposition is \u201cjust using tactics to distract from the fact that the government is doing good work\u201d ahead of the May election. He acknowledged the frustration that his colleagues are feeling that \u201cthere is so much time being spent on this\u201d as they campaign around the country and noted that a parliamentary inquiry was up to the speaker of the house.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Keir Starmer began the day with a statement about the shooting incident<\/a> at the White House correspondents\u2019 dinner:<\/p>\n \u201cI am shocked by the scenes at the White House correspondents\u2019 dinner in Washington overnight,\u201d Starmer posted on X. \u201cAny attack on democratic institutions or on the freedom of the press must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.\u201d<\/p>\n Starmer added that it was \u201ca huge relief\u201d that Donald Trump, the first lady and all those attending were safe.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Starmer says ‘vast majority’ of Labour still supports him, even amid Mandelson controversy<\/p>\n Good morning and welcome to today\u2019s live coverage of UK politics.<\/p>\n Despite several calls for his resignation from within his own party, Keir Starmer told the Sunday Times<\/a> that the \u201cvast majority\u201d of the Labour party are supportive of his leadership.<\/p>\n \u201cIn politics, you get this sort of thing all of the time,\u201d he said. \u201cThere is always talk. What you never hear from are all the people who are supportive, loyal and just want to get on with the job. And that is the vast majority of people in the parliamentary Labour<\/a> party.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re pleased to be in power. They\u2019ve waited a long time to be in power. And they just want to get on with their job. They don\u2019t make a lot of noise about it. They don\u2019t talk to journalists about it. It\u2019s really important that is reflected in these debates.\u201d<\/p>\n As the pressure continues to build over his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson<\/a> as ambassador to Washington despite vetting officials recommending that he be denied security clearance, Starmer maintained that he believed Labour can still win the next general election under his leadership.<\/p>\n \u201cWe didn\u2019t wait 14 years to get elected, we didn\u2019t change the Labour party, we didn\u2019t do all that it entailed to win the election and the mandate for change, not to deliver on it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n On Tuesday, Starmer\u2019s former chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, is expected to appear before the foreign affairs committee to be questioned over Mandelson\u2019s appointment. McSweeney resigned in February over his role in the hiring of Mandelson. Last week, Olly Robbins, the former top official at the Foreign Office, told the committee<\/a> that No 10 had created an \u201catmosphere of pressure\u201d that made it almost impossible to deny clearance for Mandelson.<\/p>\n Stay tuned for more.<\/p>\n