Brown dubs Mandelson row as ‘serious’ test for Starmer
Gordon Brown has increased pressure on Keir Starmer by warning that the controversy surrounding Peter Mandelson’s links to Jeffrey Epstein represents a ‘serious’ test of the prime minister’s authority and judgement.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Brown defended Starmer’s personal integrity but said the Labour leader now faced an urgent task to restore trust after appointing Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US, despite concerns over his past associations.
“There’s always speculation, it happened to me, it happened to Tony Blair,” Brown said. “But this is serious. The task is very clear. We’ve got to clean up the system, a total clean-up of the system, an end to corruption and unethical behaviour.:
Brown added that while Starmer wanted to “do the right things”, he may have been “too slow” to act and would now be judged on decisions taken in the coming months.
Mandelson investigation sharpens scrutiny
The intervention comes as police continue to investigate Peter Mandelson over allegations of misconduct in public office, following the release of US Department of Justice (DoJ) files detailing his contact with Epstein.
Officers have executed search warrants at two properties linked to Mandelson as part of the inquiry into whether market-sensitive government information was improperly shared while he was business secretary during the financial crisis.
Mandelson has denied wrongdoing and has not been arrested or charged.
Brown, who appointed Mandelson to cabinet in 2008, said he now “greatly regretted” that decision and felt “shocked, sad, angry, betrayed and let down” by the revelations.
“This was financially secret information,” Brown said. “Britain was at risk because of that. The currency was at risk, and there’s no doubt huge commercial damage could have been done, and perhaps was done.”
Brown also suggested that the episode exposed wider failures in vetting and oversight at the highest levels of government, arguing that the UK should consider US-style confirmation hearings for senior appointments.
The former prime minister stopped short of calling for Starmer to resign, saying leadership speculation was inevitable in politics.
But his remarks add to growing pressure on Starmer from within Labour, where MPs have questioned his decision to stand by Mandelson’s appointment despite prior knowledge of his continued relationship with Epstein after the financier’s 2008 conviction.
Starmer has said he will “rise to the challenge” of restoring confidence in government standards as the investigation continues, with the Mandelson affair increasingly seen by critics as a defining test of his leadership.