Sir Keir Starmer believes Peter Mandelson "should not be a member of the House of Lords" after further revelations linking the Labour peer to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The former cabinet minister, who was sacked as US ambassador last year because of his past connections to Epstein, resigned his membership of the Labour Party on Sunday.
He said he does not want to "cause further embarrassment" to the Party.
Downing Street now no longer believe he should be able to sit in Parliament, though the Prime Minister does not have the power to strip him of his peerage.
TRENDING
Stories
Videos
Your Say
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: "The Prime Minister has asked for this to be urgently looked at and the Prime Minister believes that Peter Mandelson should not be a member of the House of Lords.
"However, the Prime Minister does not have the power to remove [his peerage].
"He is calling on those in the Lords to work with the Government to modernise disciplinary procedures in the House to allow for the easier removal of Lords who have brought the House into disrepute.
The spokesman added that Sir Keir has "asked the Cabinet Secretary to review all available information regarding Peter Mandelson’s contacts with Jeffrey Epstein during his period as a Government minister and to report back to him."
Sir Keir Starmer believes Peter Mandelson 'should not be a member of the House of Lords; after further revelations linking the peer to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein
| PAHe also said the PM believes that if Lord Mandelson has information, he should be prepared to testify in front of US Congress.
"The Prime Minister has always said that anyone who has got information should be prepared to share that information," the spokesman said. "You cannot be victim centred if you are not prepared to do that."
Currently, a new law would be required to remove a peerage. This has not occurred for over a century, after members of nobility sided with Germans in the First World War.
Labour confirmed disciplinary action against Lord Mandelson was "under way prior to his resignation".
"It is right that Peter Mandelson is no longer a member of the Labour Party," the spokesman said.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Sir Keir Starmer has ordered an 'urgent' investigation into Lord Mandelson's Labour peerage
| GETTY"Jeffrey Epstein’s heinous crimes destroyed the lives of so many women and girls, and our thoughts remain with his victims."
Last week, the US Department of Justice released a further three million documents relating to the paedophile financier Epstein.
The documents included an email exchange from 2009, in which then-Business Secretary Lord Mandelson appeared to tell Epstein he would lobby ministers over a tax on bankers’ bonuses.
Emails also show Epstein was sent internal discussions from the Government in the aftermath of the global financial crisis.
One example from June 2009, includes an email to the Prime Minister, in which Lord Mandelson was copied into, about the UK's struggling economy, suggesting the Government start "releasing value from the very substantial asset base which the Government holds".
The documents indicate that Lord Mandelson forwarded that email on to Epstein, with the message: "Interesting note that's gone to the PM".
In response to Epstein asking, "what salable [sic] assets?", a reply from a redacted email address said: "Land, property I guess."
Further apparent email exchanges between the two include discussions around Lord Mandelson's autobiography.
The Labour peer seemingly sent Epstein a text that included an extract from his upcoming book. The disgraced financier replied with his feedback, while Lord Mandelson appeared to respond: "So if I re-do the beginning, you like the rest?"
Bank statements from 2003 and 2004 also seem to show Lord Mandelson received payments totalling $75,000 (£54,735) from Epstein.
Epstein is also said to have paid for an osteopathy course for Lord Mandelson’s husband.
More From GB News