The Huffington Post
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer steps out of the 10 Downing Street door to welcome Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, in London, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. A Labour MP has called on Keir Starmer to quit over the “psychodrama” of the Peter Mandelson scandal. Jonathan Brash, who was elected for Hartlepool – Mandelson’s old seat – in 2024, has claimed that the prime minister’s resignation is now inevitable. Starmer’s premiership is on the line after it emerged last week that ex-Labour peer Mandelson failed security vetting in early 2025 but still got the top job as the UK’s ambassador to the US. Mandelson was sacked in September last year over his links to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein but his appointment continues to haunt Starmer. Brash claimed on Wednesday that the saga is making it too difficult for the government to function. He told GB News : “I’ve got to be clear, I am completely fed up to the back teeth of this psychodrama in Westminster, the own goals that are coming from the heart of this government. “Meanwhile, we’ve got fantastic Labour councillors, canvassers, activists up and down the country, working hard and delivering for their constituencies, like mine in Hartlepool, facing local elections in the shadow of this absolute mess. They just need to get a grip. “I’m completely fed up about it, and I think it’s got to the point now where I genuinely think that, as far as the prime minister is concerned, it’s not a case of if, it’s when.” He continued: “Ultimately, we’ve become completely consumed by this turmoil at a time when that is not what the British public are focused on. I just think we need to get a handle on this, because people out there are worried about their cost of living, they’re worried about their NHS, they’re worried about crime on their streets, and we’re completely consumed by this scandal, and it’s completely unacceptable.” He added: “It’s our responsibility to always be where the British public are.” Brash joins a short list of other MPs calling for Starmer to quit. Brian Leishman, Kim Johnson, Ian Byrne, Jon Trickett, Neil Duncan-Jordan, Rachael Maskell and Richard Burgon urged the PM to step down earlier this year. Clive Lewis publicly called for Starmer to resign last November. Subscribe to Commons People , the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster. Related... Cabinet Ministers Distance Themselves From Starmer Over Mandelson Scandal Starmer Admits To Trying To Make His Ex-Spin Doctor An Ambassador Trump Blasts Starmer For 'Really Bad Pick' In Mandelson
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