Keir Starmer Says Peter Mandelson Should Be Kicked Out Of The House Of Lords

Keir Starmer wants Peter Mandelson to be kicked out of the House of Lords over the latest revelations about his links to the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

The prime minister’s spokesman said the government wants to work with the Lords to “strengthen the circumstances in which disgraced members can be removed” from parliament.

He said Starmer “believes that Peter Mandelson should not be a member of the House of Lords or use the title”.

The PM has also asked Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald to investigate the extent of Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein when he was business secretary in Gordon Brown’s government between 2008 and 2010.

The peer was sacked by Starmer as the UK’s ambassador to Washington last September after documents released by the US Department of Justice showed he continued his friendship with Epstein even after his conviction for procuring a child for prostitution.

Further documents released over the weekend suggested Mandelson received $75,000 in three separate payments from Epstein around 20 years ago.

They also appear to show Mandelson forwarding highly-sensitive government information to Epstein when he was business secretary.

Reacting to the latest revelations, the PM’s official spokesman said: “The prime minister believes that Peter Mandelson should not be a member of the House of Lords or use the title.

“However, the prime minister does not have the power to remove it. He is calling on those in the Lords to work with the house to make it easier to remove peerages from those who have brought the house into disrepute.”

His comments will pile pressure on Mandelson to voluntarily resign his peerage, which he was given by Gordon Brown when he brought him into his government.

Asked if the PM wanted Mandelson to resign, his spokesman said: “The prime minister is very clear that he should not be a member of the House of Lords or use the title.”

At the moment, an act of parliament is needed to remove an individual from the Lords.

The PM’s spokesman said: “We want to reform the House of Lords and that includes strengthening the circumstances in which disgraced members can be removed.”

Mandelson resigned his Labour Party membership on Sunday night, claiming he did not want to cause “further embarrassment”.

A Labour Party spokesman said: “It is right that Peter Mandelson is no longer a member of the Labour Party. Disciplinary action was underway prior to his resignation.

“Jeffrey Epstein’s heinous crimes destroyed the lives of so many women and girls, and our thoughts remain with his victims.”

Starmer’s spokesperson joins opposition leaders who have also called for Mandelson to be stripped of his peerage.

Earlier today, Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said: “It’s time now for the government to take immediate action by bringing forward legislation to strip Peter Mandelson of his peerage.

“It is the very least they can do for the victims and survivors of his friend Jeffrey Epstein.

“If Mandelson has any shame left he will retire from the House of Lords today while this process gets under way.”

The SNP also said Mandelson should be stripped of his peerage last month.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch told broadcasters this morning that an inquiry was needed.

She said: “I think there is a lot that needs to be looked into, including investigating how he ever came to be appointed, and all levers which can be pulled in order to remove him from public office looked into, including removal from the House of Lords.”