Britain is known in my country, the USA, for decency, fairness, and honour. When wrongdoing is exposed, there must be consequences—no matter how elite the individual.
That’s what the British public demanded when 79 per cent backed King Charles’s decision to strip Prince Andrew of his titles, according to a YouGov poll released on October 31.
The King’s move was welcomed in a nation tired of privilege shielding failure. Yet while Andrew faces disgrace, two figures whose deeds and behaviour have disgraced their positions — Sadiq Khan and Lord Peter Mandelson —continue to cling to their honours. That is not justice. It is hypocrisy.
The monarchy, once accused of dodging accountability, has now shown more moral courage than the political class. Andrew’s fall was inevitable and deserved.
But as 58 per cent of Britons told pollsters, the decision came too late. The delay reflects the same reluctance to act that plagues politics, where action only follows public outrage. The King has stepped up. The question now is whether Britain’s leaders will match his resolve.
Start with Sadiq Khan, whose record as Mayor of London is a clear indictment of political shame. Under his watch, the grooming gang scandal — one of the darkest stains on modern Britain — was met not with action, but denial.
While girls as young as 13 were abused across the country, Khan repeatedly downplayed the problem in the capital, claiming it was “complex” and “misunderstood.” Complex?
Tell that to the thousands of victims whose suffering was ignored because politicians feared offending certain communities. Leadership demands courage; Khan chose evasion and convenience.
King Charles just opened a Pandora's box to sink Sadiq Khan and Lord Mandelson. This is unprecedented - Lee Cohen
|Getty Images
Now, as thousands of old cases are reopened, the cost of that cowardice is evident. Victims were abandoned, predators emboldened, and trust in the justice system weakened.
No amount of polished soundbites can hide the truth: Khan failed to protect the vulnerable. A man who ignored such evil has no right to any honour. His mayoralty has been a catalogue of division, failure, and moral blindness. His knighthood should be stripped immediately.
Then there is Lord Mandelson, a lingering symbol of New Labour’s disgraced entitlement. Twice forced from Cabinet —first over a secret loan, then over interference in a passport application—he should have exited public life long ago.
Instead, he reinvented himself as a “statesman”, trading influence through his peerage. Even after his disgraceful associations with Jeffrey Epstein surfaced—an association so serious he was forced out as ambassador—he remains in the Lords. This is not public service; it is self-interest in ermine.
Mandelson’s defenders claim he has “paid his price”. But what price? While Epstein’s victims live with lasting scars, Mandelson retains his seat in Parliament’s upper chamber, collecting prestige as if nothing happened. That is not repentance — it is privilege.
Labour MPs, including Andy McDonald, now call on Sir Keir Starmer to remove Mandelson’s peerage, with The Telegraph’s October 31, 2025, report framing it as a test of moral leadership. Starmer’s silence is telling.
The Spectator was right to describe Mandelson’s career as a “masterclass in political survival without integrity”. From his murky dealings to his reported appeals on Epstein’s behalf, his behaviour reflects everything ordinary Britons despise about the Westminster elite. His peerage is an insult to every honest public servant who earns their honour through merit and decency.
This is not about petty vengeance. It is about national character. Britain cannot preach integrity globally if its political elite wallows in sleaze. The 79 per cent who supported stripping Andrew’s honours are not driven by spite; they demand fairness.
If royalty can be held to account, why not mayors and ministers? Why should hereditary privilege face punishment while political privilege is shielded?
Honours are meant to reward service and virtue, not provide cover for failure. Khan and Mandelson have proven, in different ways, that they no longer meet that standard. Their continued titles are not symbols of prestige — they are badges of shame.
King Charles’s decision was a necessary first step in cleaning public life of dishonour. But it will mean little if Britain’s political establishment protects its own. Real accountability must extend beyond the palace to City Hall, Westminster, and the Lords’ red benches.
The public has spoken. The moral case is clear. The time to act is now. Strip the disgrace. Restore integrity. Let the world see Britain still upholds the meaning of honour.