British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is going through the biggest crisis of his mandate. Although he is not directly involved, fingers point against him after he appointed Peter Mandelson – who appears in the Epstein files – as British ambassador to the US in 2024, when his relationship with the deceased pedophile was already known. Starmer has already ruled out resigning.

First modification: 02/09/2026 - 15:12 Last modification: 02/09/2026 - 17:45

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The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, is going through the most delicate moment of his mandate since he took office a year and a half ago. However, the premier assured this Monday that he is not "willing" to leave office, despite growing pressure.

In just ten days, a cascade of revelations linked to the case of the deceased American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has unleashed a major political crisis in London, calling into question the leadership of the head of the Labor Government and causing resignations at the top of Downing Street.

At the center of the storm is a decision made by Starmer in 2024: the appointment of veteran Labor leader Peter Mandelson as the United Kingdom's ambassador to the United States. Although Mandelson's links to Epstein were already known, the recent publication of millions of documents by the US Department of Justice once again put the relationship between the two under the microscope, with new details that aggravated the political impact of the case.

Added to the revelations are the pressures from the opposition, from sectors of Starmer's own party and from public opinion, which has placed Starmer in a position of extreme fragility. The recent resignations of his chief of staff and his director of communications, as well as surveys that reflect strong citizen rejection, complicate the Westminster scenario, in the midst of the current Government's biggest crisis.

The origin of the crisis: Mandelson, Epstein and a controversial appointment

The controversy broke out after the dissemination of new emails and documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, the American financier convicted of sexual crimes who died in prison in 2019. Among this material, according to information published by the US State Department, the personal closeness between Epstein and Peter Mandelson, a historical figure of the Labor Party and a key collaborator of previous governments, was revealed.

Starmer had named Mandelson ambassador to Washington in 2024, despite the fact that it was already known that the former minister had a relationship with Epstein, even after he was convicted in 2008 for sexual crimes against a minor.

In September 2025, after the publication of a first batch of emails confirming that long-standing friendship, the prime minister decided to remove Mandelson from office.

However, the most recent revelations were even more serious. Emails released this week indicate that Mandelson would have shared sensitive government information, potentially capable of influencing markets, with Epstein in 2009, when he was a member of the Labor Cabinet during Gordon Brown's government.

At a time when pressure is growing against Starmer to resign, a demand as a form of protest against his decision, the premier appeared before Parliament on February 5, where he indicated that, although he knew of the friendship between Epstein and Mandelson, he did not know the extent of that relationship.

Read alsoEpstein case shakes the British Government: Starmer apologizes to victims for Mandelson's previous appointment

Political responsibility and the questioning of Starmer's leadership

The focus of the controversy quickly shifted from Mandelson to the prime minister himself. For large sectors of the British political spectrum, the central issue ceased to be solely the conduct of the former ambassador and became a problem of Starmer's judgment and political responsibility.

The Labor leader publicly apologized to British citizens and victims of Epstein's sex trafficking, saying he had believed what he described as "Mandelson's lies."

But these apologies failed to stop the pressure: Labor legislators began to express doubts about the relevance of him continuing to head the political bench, while calls from the opposition multiplied for him to assume his responsibility and resign from office.

From the Conservative Party, its leader Kemi Badenoch stated that Starmer has repeatedly resorted to shifting blame to third parties. Speaking to the BBC, he argued that the prime minister “must take responsibility for his own terrible decisions,” rather than attributing them to advisers or subordinates.

Along the same lines, the deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, Daisy Cooper, pointed out that changing advisors does not alter the fact that the final decision was made by the head of the Government.

Criticism also came from other fronts. The Scottish National Party (SNP), which governs Scotland, and the Green Party directly called for Starmer's resignation, considering that his judgment was seriously damaged by Mandelson's appointment.

Read alsoThe tentacles of the pedophile Epstein in the British establishment precipitate a political earthquake

Resignations from Downing Street weaken the political structure

Amid mounting pressure, Starmer's chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, resigned on Sunday, February 8, taking responsibility for advising the prime minister on Mandelson's appointment as ambassador to Washington.

McSweeney, considered the architect of Labor's electoral victory in 2024 and a key figure in Starmer's entourage, acknowledged in a statement that the decision was wrong and had damaged the party, the country and trust in politics.

Despite his resignation, McSweeney reiterated his support for the prime minister, a gesture Downing Street hoped would help contain the crisis. However, the political impact did not stop there.

This Monday, February 9, the Prime Minister's communications director, Tim Allan, also resigned, which deepened the feeling of decomposition in the hard core of the Government. Allan, with an extensive career as a political adviser and founder of an influential public affairs consultancy, said he was stepping down to allow the construction of a new team in Downing Street.

Read alsoKeir Starmer's chief of staff resigns over Mandelson's links to Epstein

The impact on public opinion

The political crisis is also reflected in opinion polls. According to a survey by the Opinium firm published by The Observer, 55% of Britons believe that Keir Starmer should resign as prime minister. The figure is significant when compared to the 45% who, in April 2024, supported the resignation of the then head of the Conservative Government, Rishi Sunak, shortly before the general election was called.

The study, carried out among more than 2,000 adults at the beginning of February, also shows a very negative net assessment of Starmer's leadership. In aspects such as his ability to “represent what people think” and “connect with ordinary people”, the prime minister scores -44, while in the perception of whether he is a strong leader he scores -40.

The Epstein case and its effect on the United Kingdom

The crisis that is shaking the British Government does not develop in a vacuum. The recent publication of millions of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein has had a ripple effect that reaches different spheres of power in the United Kingdom, including the royal family.

According to information from Reuters, Prince William and his wife, Catherine, publicly expressed their deep concern about the revelations contained in the new files, in particular the renewed scrutiny of Prince Andrew, younger brother of King Charles III.

Andrés had been removed from the core of royalty after his close relationship with Epstein was confirmed and reached an out-of-court agreement in 2022 with Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexual abuse when he was a minor.

The newly released documents suggest that Andrés also shared official British information with Epstein in 2010, after the financier's conviction, raising new questions about the misuse of confidential information. Police are evaluating possible further investigations, keeping the scandal on the public agenda.

Read alsoThe fall of Mandelson due to the Epstein case: he resigns from the House of Lords and is under investigation

Resign or resist: Starmer's options

Given this panorama, different scenarios open up for the immediate future of the prime minister. The most direct option would be his resignation, which would activate an internal election to define the new leadership of the Labor Party. This process could drag on for weeks, during which time Starmer would likely remain in office.

In the event of an immediate resignation, the Cabinet and party governing bodies could appoint an interim prime minister. Among the names circulating is that of Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, who could take over provisionally while the internal dispute develops.

Labor Party rules state that leadership candidates must have the backing of at least a fifth of the parliamentary group, as well as support from local grassroots and affiliated organizations such as unions. The process culminates with a vote of members and affiliates, through a preferential system that requires an absolute majority.

Another possibility is that Starmer decides to hold out in office and face an internal challenge. Although the Labor Party does not have a history of removing sitting prime ministers, the current political climate does not rule out a scenario of internal rebellion if pressure continues to mount.

Read alsoBritish Premier asks Mandelson to resign from life position in the House of Lords due to the Epstein case

Electoral obstacles, among the short-term risks

Beyond the immediate crisis, Starmer will face a series of political tests in the coming weeks and months. The by-election scheduled for February 26 in Gorton and Denton, a traditionally safe constituency for Labour, which, this time, appears to be a close contest against the advance of the Reform UK party on the right and the Greens on the left.

Added to this is the internal unrest generated by the decision to block the candidacy of the mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham, for a special election, a measure that critics interpret as an attempt to prevent the return to the House of Commons of a potential internal rival.

Looking ahead to May, the Labor Party will have a series of regional and local elections. Sections of the party fear a possible loss of power in Wales, a significant setback in Scotland and poor results in England, which could further intensify pressures on Starmer's leadership.

Read alsoEpstein Files: Gates claims she only attended dinners with the pedophile, while Trump asks to turn the page

With AP, EFE and Reuters

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