Starmer faces renewed calls to sack chief of staff over Mandelson scandal

A picture


Keir Starmer is facing renewed calls to sack his most senior adviser as Downing Street braces itself for another round of leadership speculation when the files relating to Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador are published.The Labour MP for Stroud, Simon Opher, added his voice to those calling for the departure of Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, who was instrumental in the decision to appoint Mandelson despite concerns about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.The former Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman said the prime minister had looked “weak, naive and gullible” after he apologised for having put Mandelson into such a high-profile and sensitive role.With ministers being asked to hand over details of their communications with Mandelson, officials say they expect the files to be published within days, and Labour MPs say the release could renew pressure on the prime minister to resign.Opher told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Friday: “Keir Starmer needs to change his advisers in No 10.

I think he’s been badly advised, and he’s been really let down, particularly on this decision.“I know in politics we really rely on people to cover our backs, our advisers, and I think they patently haven’t done this with Peter Mandelson.So we need a bit of a clearout at No 10.”Asked whether that meant sacking McSweeney, Opher replied: “I think so, yes.If my chief of staff had done this I think he would be looking for another job to be honest.

”Downing Street said on Thursday that McSweeney retained the prime minister’s confidence.Harman told Sky’s Electoral Dysfunction podcast Starmer “has got to stop blaming Mandelson and saying ‘he lied to me’.“Because actually he should never have been considering him in the first place.And to say ‘he lied to me’ makes it look weak and naive and gullible.So it’s just completely the wrong thing.

”Starmer has been under pressure for several days after new details emerged from the Epstein files in the US about the closeness between Mandelson and the late child sex offender.The revelations include documents suggesting Epstein gave Mandelson $75,000 (£55,000) – which Mandelson has said he cannot remember – and that Mandelson shared sensitive inside information with Epstein when he was working at the heart of Gordon Brown’s government.The prime minister attempted to quell MPs’ anger over Mandelson’s appointment on Thursday, giving a lengthy apology to Epstein’s victims.But while he apologised for believing the former ambassador’s “lies”, he did not apologise for giving him the job even though it was known at the time that Mandelson had continued his relationship with Epstein even after the latter had been convicted of trafficking a child for sex.The immigration minister, Mike Tapp, said on Friday that Starmer should continue as prime minister.

He told Sky News: “I believe if we stick with Keir Starmer, which we will, then that corner will turn faster and people will start to feel it.“But I completely understand the anger and the distress at what’s happened with Peter Mandelson’s appointment.I completely agree with that, and that’s why I’m really pleased to see a genuine, genuine apology from Keir Starmer.”Ministers are preparing to hand over electronic communications they had with Mandelson after Starmer agreed to release documents related to his appointment.No 10 said on Thursday that it had begun talks with parliament’s intelligence and security committee over releasing the documents, though the committee denied this.

Downing Street believes the files will relieve pressure on Starmer by showing the extent to which Mandelson deceived them during the pre-appointment process,Some Labour MPs say they are waiting to see what the documents say before deciding whether to call for Starmer to resign,
sportSee all
A picture

Lindsey Vonn, skiing with ruptured ACL, takes crucial step in downhill medal bid

Lindsey Vonn moved a step closer to one of the most improbable Olympic starts in Alpine skiing history on Friday, producing an aggressive and largely clean downhill training run on the Olimpia delle Tofane course less than a week after fully rupturing the ACL in her left knee and being airlifted off a mountain in Switzerland.The 41-year-old American clocked 1min 40.33sec in a fog-delayed session, but the time itself was secondary to what the run represented: proof that she can still attack a course at speed – and survive it – as she targets Sunday’s medal race.Wearing bib No 10 and a brace on the injured knee, Vonn was forced to wait more than 90 minutes at the top of the mountain as low cloud and fog repeatedly halted the session. The delays came after Slovenia’s Ilka Stuhec crashed early, forcing course regrooming, before fog again rolled in after the fourth starter, Austria’s Nina Ortlieb

A picture

Loneliness of Olympic village vanishes in joyful moment you pull on Team GB kit | Lizzy Yarnold

One of the great joys of being an Olympian is arriving at the athletes’ village and, with it, the shift in your identity from just being a skeleton athlete to being a part of Team GB. There is a real belonging in putting on the T-shirt or jacket with your country’s flag on, and of course with the Olympic rings – a symbol of hope and peace and togetherness.When I arrived in Sochi, my first Winter Olympics in 2014, I went into my room and I remember collapsing on to the bed with huge pride but also an overwhelming initial feeling of loneliness. I remember being emotional, crying. There was the relief that I had finally made it to the Games, but also a question of “what do I do now?” Fortunately, I didn’t dwell on that for long and dragged myself to the Team GB food hall

A picture

NBA trade deadline: the Knicks get stronger and everyone loses in the Giannis sweepstakes

It’s hard to match the absolute insanity that was the 2024-25 NBA trade deadline, and to the majority of the league’s credit, teams didn’t really try. But there was still some notable movement ahead of Thursday’s 3pm EST deadline – to varying degrees of success. Let’s do the early assessment of who came out on top, and who left us scratching our heads.Washington Wizards. I’m old enough to remember a season ago, before the blockbuster Luka Dončić trade, when Anthony Davis, bad injury luck and all, was regarded as a top-12 player in the NBA

A picture

Winter Olympics Team GB skier targets ICE with graphic message written in snow

Team GB skier Gus Kenworthy has launched a blistering attack on US Immigration and Custom Enforcement officers by urinating the words “Fuck Ice” on the snow just before the start of the Winter Olympics.In a post on Instagram the 34-year-old, who will compete for Team GB in the free-ski half-pipe in Milano Cortina, also urged Americans to write to their senators to “rein in” ICE and border patrol.“Innocent people have been murdered, and enough is enough,” said Kenworthy. “We can’t wait around while ICE continues to operate with unchecked power in our communities.“Senators still have leverage right now … and must use it to demand real guardrails and accountability – including getting ICE and CBP [customs and border protection] out of our communities, ending blank-check funding for brutality, and establishing clear limits on warrantless arrests, profiling, and enforcement at sensitive locations like schools and hospitals

A picture

Snoop Dogg shocks British curling pair with request for photo at Winter Olympics

Snoop Dogg and the sport of curling made for a very odd mixture at the Winter Olympics on Friday with British competitors Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds even more shocked than the crowd and the millions tuning in when they got a picture request from the rapper.Mouat and Dodds had maintained their unbeaten record so far at the Games with a 7-4 win over tough opponents Sweden, but were just as pleased to meet the US superstar.“We saw him at half-time. We saw he was sat next to [US curler] Cory [Thiesse]’s mum. He asked for a photo with us, so I am feeling pretty good about myself,” reported Mouat

A picture

England suffer big Six Nations blow with Feyi-Waboso ruled out of Wales clash

England have suffered a major setback on the eve of their Six Nations opener against Wales on Saturday with Immanuel Feyi-Waboso ruled out with a hamstring injury, prompting a surprise recall for Tom Roebuck.Roebuck is the beneficiary of Feyi-Waboso’s injury, called into the side to make a first appearance since picking up a toe injury in England’s November victory over the All Blacks. England are still investigating the extent of Feyi-Waboso’s knock – sustained in training on Thursday – and it remains to be seen if he will feature at all in the Six Nations.“[Manny] pulled out of training in the last 60 seconds and unfortunately won’t be available this weekend,” said the England assistant coach Tom Harrison. “He sustained pulled muscle in the leg area