Sir Keir Starmer has come under growing pressure over his decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as the UK’s man in Washington after Tory leader Kemi Badenoch called for an ethics probe.
The Tories wrote to the Prime Minister's independent ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus last night following the release of an 147-page dossier on Wednesday.
Following its release, Sir Keir issued a grovelling apology during a visit to Northern Ireland.
However, the Tories, Reform UK and Liberal Democrats have heaped pressure on the Prime Minister.
Mrs Badenoch last night doubled down on her criticisms of the Prime Minister, with the Tories last night sending a letter demanding an investigation into the release of a 147-page dossier on Wednesday.
She said: “I am astonished the Prime Minister can actually look himself in the mirror right now.
“It is very clear that he told lie after lie after lie about the appointment of Peter Mandelson.
“He has been dishonest with Parliament and with the country.”
Sir Keir Starmer has come under growing pressure over his decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as the UK’s man in Washington after Tory leader Kemi Badenoch called for an ethics probe
|PA
“And Labour MPs, in good conscience, should be looking at whether or not this man should be leading our country.”
The Leader of the Opposition is also calling on the Prime Minister’s ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus to investigate “serious deficiencies in the released material”.
Shadow Minister Alex Burghart wrote to Sir Laurie just 36 hours after the first batch of documents concerning Lord Mandelson’s appointment was released on Wednesday.
“There is no document disclosing whether these reservations were communicated to the Prime Minister,” Mr Burghart said.
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Lord Mandelson will not return to the House of Lords | GETTYMeanwhile, the Liberal Democrats have also suggested Sir Keir should refer himself to Sir Magnus.
Speaking to GB News this morning, Liberal Democrat MP Lisa Smart said: "The evidence that came out in the Mandelson files this week shows that Peter Mandelson was receiving very high-level briefings before the vetting had been concluded.
"I suggested that the Prime Minister should refer himself to his ethics adviser because what he has said doesn't quite match up with what the evidence suggests."
The first batch of documents released confirmed officials had been warned about Lord Mandelson's friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, admitting it posed a "general reputational risk".
Kemi Badenoch is among those putting pressure on the PM
| GETTYHowever, it also revealed the New Labour architect demanded more than £550,000 following his resignation.
He was instead given £75,000, a sum Foreign Office mandarin Sir Oliver Robins described as "good value for money".
Following Wednesday's release, Reform UK's home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf demanded the Prime Minister resigns over the debacle.
Mr Yusuf said: "I'm afraid it's crystal clear now, and it's already in the public domain that Keir Starmer has lied. I don't see how he survives this.
Keir Starmer has already been criticised for appointing Lord Mandelson, who had links to paedophile Jeffery Epsetin | PA "This is a man who has absolutely no shame. You would think that if a man was literally nicknamed the Prince of Darkness and he had that report on his desk, he would think two or three times before appointing this man Britain's ambassador to the United States. It's an absolute disgrace."
However, No10 has consistently denied there has been a cover-up.
"I refute the suggestion of a cover-up," the Prime Minister's official spokesman said. "The Government's complied fully."
During his visit to Northern Ireland, Sir Keir added: "It was me that made a mistake, and it's me that makes the apology to the victims of Epstein, and I do that."