Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership ­crisis has deepened after fresh revelations about his dealings with Lord Mandelson and a growing revolt among his ministers and MPs. The Sunday Times has more.

The worst week of Starmer’s leadership continued when it emerged that, shortly before he appointed Mandelson as US ambassador, he had received a report detailing the peer’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

The Cabinet Office propriety and ethics team’s document said that the friendship had continued after Epstein’s conviction for soliciting child prostitution. It casts further doubt on Starmer’s initial backing of Mandelson over the scandal.

The Prime Minister’s handling of the affair, a week after he bungled the sacking of Angela Rayner as his deputy, has left MPs and ministers feeling he cannot lead them into the next general election. One minister described the situation as “terminal”.

The first two weeks of the new Westminster term, which should have been a reset for Starmer, have instead proved extraordinarily damaging. Reeling from the loss of his deputy, he dug in to support Mandelson at prime minister’s questions on Wednesday before sacking him the day after – less than a week before President Trump’s state visit.

No 10 claimed that Starmer changed his position only after new information about the peer and Epstein became public. However, it has emerged that he was told months ago that the association posed potential diplomatic and reputation risks. He was also warned of Mandelson’s business links with China. Despite the briefing, the PM went ahead with the appointment last December.

The disclosure poses questions about the Labour leader’s political judgment. Cabinet ministers and MPs are furious that he did not anticipate the damage it would cause. Morgan McSweeney, the No 10 chief of staff who is also the subject of parliamentary Labour Party anger, was aware of the document.

There is fear in Labour that Starmer is going to deliver the country to Nigel Farage. “I think it is pretty terminal, to be honest,” one senior government minister said. “Hushed conversations that are being had among friends are swiftly coming to the overriding conclusion that Keir cannot lead us into the next general election. The only question left is who we are replacing him with.”

Another minister said No 10 was rudderless. “There is no content or agenda, there is no political leadership,” the minister said. “The PM can’t keep asking someone else to tell him how to lead.” Someone else added: “Nobody thinks this can go on much longer.”

A Whitehall figure added of McSweeney: “Keir has lost control of his advisers. Heads have to roll.”

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