UK Politics

Sir Keir Starmer’s hopes of a coronation for his chosen successor to replace Angela Rayner as deputy leader seem to have been dashed.His candidate for the crucial position, education secretary Bridget Phillipson, became the first to clear a major hurdle to secure the 80 MP nominations needed to get on the ballot paper.With MPs hearing the pitches of the five remaining hopefuls, Ms Phillipson was far ahead with 116 nominations well beyond the 80 needed. However, her chief rival, sacked former minister Lucy Powell was on 77. Ms Powell just needs three more MPs before nominations close at 5pm on Thursday which would put her in a run-off with Ms Phillipson in a vote by members.Education secretary Bridget Phillipson More

The UK will mass produce cutting-edge interceptor drones to help Ukraine fight off Russian aerial attacks.The drones, designed by Ukraine with support from UK scientists and technicians, are highly effective in destroying the one-way attack aircraft Moscow continues to launch at Ukrainian cities, according to the Ministry of Defence (MoD).It comes after Russian drones violating Polish airspace during overnight attacks on Ukraine were shot down by Poland and Nato.Defence Secretary John Healey will detail the project, the first under a technology-sharing deal with Kyiv, at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) trade show in London on Thursday.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “As Russia continues its egregious and unrelenting attacks on Ukraine, the UK’s support will not falter, and we alongside our allies will continue to step up.“This new partnership is a landmark moment, bringing together British and Ukrainian ingenuity to deliver cutting-edge defence drone technology to fight back against Russian aggression.Starmer said Russia’s Poland airspace breach has ‘united’ Nato More

Lord Mandelson reportedly gave Jeffrey Epstein advice, including to push for early release, as he faced child sex offences in further revelations that will pile pressure on the Washington ambassador to step aside. The prime minister is facing increasing demands to sack his controversial pick to lead the UK’s diplomatic efforts in the US, after fresh details emerged of the now Lord Mandelson’s previous close friendship with the disgraced former banker.In fresh revelations on Wednesday evening, leaked emails seen by The Sun saw the Labour grandee write to Epstein in June 2008: “Your friends stay with you and love you.”Peter Mandelson is under growing pressure over his links with Jeffrey Epstein More

Sir Keir Starmer has rejected growing calls to sack the UK’s ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, over his dealings with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.The prime minister is facing increasing pressure over his controversial pick to lead the UK’s diplomatic efforts in the US, after further details emerged of the now Lord Mandelson’s previous close friendship with the disgraced former banker.They include claims that Epstein brokered a deal involving Mr Mandelson, then the business secretary, in relation to the sale of a taxpayer-owned business, after Epstein had been convicted of child sex offences, and Mr Mandelson writing a 50th birthday message to the paedophile, who died in 2019, in which he described him as his “best pal”.Angry Labour MPs have today joined calls for him to go. Breaking ranks, Labour deputy leadership hopeful Bell Ribeiro-Addy called for an investigation by Sir Keir’s ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus, saying: “There will be a huge amount of concern, and if the outcome is that he should resign, he should.”Ian Byrne, who had the Labour whip restored in February after being suspended following a vote on the two-child benefit cap, told The Independent: “MPs get suspended by the party, like I did, for voting against putting children and disabled people into poverty, but calling the world’s most infamous paedophile and child-trafficker your ‘best pal’, amongst other comments, that’s OK! It stinks to high heaven.”Keir Starmer defends Peter Mandelson at PMQs on Wednesday More

‘Embarrassing’ that Starmer has confidence in Mandelson, Badenoch saysSir Keir Starmer has given his full backing to Lord Mandelson, Britain’s ambassador to the US, amid a furore over his newly revealed links to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.Bell Ribeiro-Addy, a challenger for the deputy leadership, became the first Labour MP to call for Mandelson to be sacked and said ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus should investigate the ambassador.Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Mandelson was “mired in scandal” and should step down, and asked Sir Keir whether he had been aware of Mandelson’s “intimate relationship” with Epstein.It has also emerged that the ambassador broke a business deal with Epstein even after he had been convicted of child sex offences. Sir Keir replied: “The ambassador has repeatedly expressed his deep regret for his association with him. He is right to do so. I have confidence in him, and he is playing an important role in the UK-US relationship.”He refused to say whether he knew of the pair’s relationship before Mandelson’s appointment but said due process was followed during that appointment.More ‘very embarrassing’ Epstein revelations to come, Mandelson saysPeter Mandelson has admitted that more details about his relationship with Jefferey Epstein are “going to come out”.But, asked whether there were more revelations to come about he and Esptein, Lord Mandelson said: “I have no doubt at all that there’s a lot of traffic, correspondence, exchanges between us – absolutely. And we know those are going to surface.“We know they’re going to come out.“We know they’re going to be very embarrassing, and they know that I’m going to profoundly regret ever having met him and been introduced to him in the first place.”( More

Peter Mandelson has broken his silence over the unfolding scandal around his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, warning there are more “very embarrassing” revelations to come after it was revealed he maintained ties with him after he was jailed for a child sex offence. Britain’s ambassador to Washington said he was “very embarrassed” to read a birthday message to the late paedophile in which he described him as his “best pal”.The messages, part of a 50th birthday book compiled for Epstein by convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, also saw Lord Mandelson express “love” for the financier and joke about entertaining his “interesting” friends. Epstein referred to Mandelson as ‘Petie’ in email correspondence More

A number of MPs are wearing sheaves of wheat on their lapels in the House of Commons during PMQs.The wheat sheaf pin badges are worn in support of Back British Farming Day, which falls on 10 September this year.Organised by the National Farmers’ Union for England and Wales (NFU), the event is aimed at celebrating the British food and farming sector and encouraging politicians to ensure it is prioritised.Launched back in 2016, the day provides an opportunity for politicians and the public to show their support for farmers and growers in feeding the nation and caring for the UK countryside.Lindsay Hoyle wore a wheat sheaf pin badge during PMQs More