Top government figures to hand over private messages with Mandelson

Senior figures in Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's government are preparing to hand over all private messages with Lord Mandelson, amid widespread anger over his appointment as the UK's ambassador to the US.

The prime minister has been under pressure to disclose the files after police launched a criminal investigation into claims Lord Mandelson passed sensitive government information to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

On Thursday, Sir Keir apologised to the victims of Epstein for believing Lord Mandelson's "lies" and appointing him when the peer's friendship with the paedophile was already public knowledge.

But despite the prime minister's attempt to defuse the row, some of his own MPs are calling on him to stand down.

The underlying anger among Labour MPs towards Sir Keir is still palpable.

Labour MP Brian Leishman told the BBC Sir Keir had "shown an incredible misjudgement in appointing Peter Mandelson and it goes beyond saying sorry".

"Keir Starmer has to have a really good look at himself," Leishman said.

"Has his judgment been good enough for that office? I think the answer is a categorical no."

Labour backbencher Simon Opher said Downing Street chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, who was close to Lord Mandelson, should go over the scandal.

Opher said the prime minister "needs to change his advisers in Number 10", adding that politicians "really rely on people to cover our backs, our advisers, and they patently haven't done that".

Lord Mandelson was sacked last September, following the emergence of new emails revealing supportive messages he sent to Epstein after he pleaded guilty to sex offences.

In recent days, more documents released by the US Department of Justice have laid bare the extent of their relationship.

They include emails suggesting Epstein made payments worth thousands of pounds to Lord Mandelson and his partner.

Police are investigating allegations of misconduct in public office, after other emails in the files suggested Lord Mandelson forwarded on market-sensitive information to Epstein when he was business secretary during the financial crisis in 2009.

Lord Mandelson has not responded to requests for comment, but the BBC understands his position is that he has not acted in any way criminally and that he was not motivated by financial gain.