Labour MPs are urging Sir Keir Starmer to reveal whether he saw a report by an influential party peer that warned of Peter Mandelson’s links to Jeffrey Epstein.
Labour grandee Lord Glassman told Sky News last September that he had flagged to Number 10 about the pair’s relationship but was met with a “discreet suggestion to basically shut up”.
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In an interview with Sky News’ Sophy Ridge, Lord Glasman suggested he was asked to report to Number 10 about the pair’s relationship and he did – but suggested no action was taken.
“They asked me to send a report and I sent a report,” he said.
“I did say when I got back, I would think again about this publicly.
“Then I did get a discreet suggestion to basically shut up about that, and I did.”
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Sky News has approached Downing Street for comment on whether the report was passed to the prime minister but has not received a response.
‘Starmer must reveal if he saw Glasman’s report’
Clive Lewis, the Labour MP for Norwich South, told Sky News that the report “must be released”.
“Either Maurice [Lord Glassman] needs to show the email trail and the document that he passed on to Number 10. And Number 10 needs to show what they knew.
“The longer this takes to draw out, the more damage to the Labour Party – this needs a clean, all cards on the table approach.
“They can’t have it dragged out kicking and screaming – this will destroy us. We need full disclosure.
“Keir Starmer must reveal if he saw Glasman’s report or if it was kept from him.”
A minister added: “We need to know if the PM saw it or if it was deliberately withheld from him.
“The report should be definitely be released. It just highlights how badly Keir was failed by those closest to him.”
It comes as the prime minister continues to face intense pressure over his decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as US ambassador despite admitting that the official security vetting he received mentioned his ongoing relationship with Epstein even following his conviction for soliciting a minor in 2008.
On Thursday, Sir Keir attempted to save his premiership by offering an apology to Epstein’s victims for believing what he called “Mandelson’s lies”.
Addressing Epstein’s victims from an event in Hastings, the prime minister said: “I want to say this: I am sorry.
“Sorry for what was done to you. Sorry that so many people with power failed you.
“Sorry for having believed Mandelson’s lies and appointed him, and sorry that even now you’re forced to watch this story unfold in public once again.”
Lord Mandelson, a senior adviser to Sir Tony Blair and a cabinet minister during the New Labour years, was sacked in September after he featured in a number of Epstein-related files and photos released by a US Congressional committee.
He then resigned from the Labour party and the House of Lords after further damaging revelations were uncovered among a tranche of three million documents released by the US Department of Justice last week.
Emails showed that Lord Mandelson had a close business relationship with Epstein as well as personal one. Among the most damaging accusations are that he forwarded market-sensitive information to Epstein – including an alleged forewarning about a €500bn EU bank bailout in 2010.
Lord Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein. He has said he regrets maintaining a relationship with him and apologised to the financier’s victims.
During a dramatic day in the Commons on Wednesday, the government agreed to publish documents relating to Lord Mandelson’s appointment after the Conservatives tabled a humble address to force their disclosure.
Initially the government wanted to release the documents on the condition they did not compromise national security or international relations – but that stance was later watered down following interventions from Angela Rayner, the former deputy prime minister, who demanded that the files deemed to be a risk first be reviewed by parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee.
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It means that instead of the cabinet secretary deciding what does or does not compromise national security or international relations, that power will lie with the MPs on the committee.
The publication of documents may be further delayed by a criminal investigation into Lord Mandelson, whose two properties in Wilshire and Camden were searched on Friday afternoon.
Despite the prime minister’s public apology to Epstein’s victims, Labour MPs were still calling on Mr McSweeney to go.
“Universally we can see PM is a good man and I genuinely believe he means his apology,” said one minister.
“The problem we have is the people around him – he is clearly reliant on people who give him bad advice. It is a universal feeling in the majority of the PLP [parliamentary Labour Party] that Morgan needs to go.”
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Another Labour MP added: “Keir needs to get rid of Morgan – and he could actually have an OK relationship with the PLP if he did.”
Some reserved their anger for the prime minister, with one backbencher telling Sky News: “100% Keir needs to go. He wants to hang on to May so he can say things haven’t worked out. He wants to blame the local elections. Frankly his name is dirt here.”
