Keir Starmer has to be shortlisted as one of the worst Prime Ministers in history. He has been an incompetent leader, bringing more damage than good to this country. Over a year has passed since the misfortune of Labour being elected into power: people are digging deeper into their pockets, bearing the brunt of a declining economy; they have had to deal with an indecisive government, making U-turns on its own policies to appease the public rather than show true leadership; and new scandals are coming to light every week. Public trust in the executive is dwindling, and it is set to continue plummeting with the most recent revelations in the Epstein Files.
Peter Mandelson—former ambassador to the United States in Starmer’s cabinet, appointed in 2024—Peter Mandelson has been revealed to have had a close and ongoing friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender. The most recent revelations show that Epstein sent $25,000 to three separate bank accounts linked to Mandelson. It was also exposed that they continued to exchange emails, with the former ambassador to the US discussing changes to government policy on a planned tax on bankers’ bonuses following a request from Epstein. This has prompted police investigations into allegations that he passed on sensitive government information to Epstein while serving as Business Secretary in 2009. He denies the allegations, claiming he has no recollection of receiving the money, whilst also reiterating his regret for knowing Epstein. It’s a bit late now.
Mandelson was subsequently sacked by Keir Starmer in September 2025 after further revelations emerged about his friendship with Epstein. However, the decision to appoint him to the cabinet in the first place is unfathomable. Starmer excuses his decision by claiming that Mandelson lied during the vetting process by covering up his relationship with Epstein. This is a weak defence. Starmer was aware of Mandelson’s long-standing links with the convicted sex offender. Wouldn’t this have been an instant red flag? Morgan McSweeney (Downing Street’s Chief of Staff) was also a key backer of the appointment, and questions have been raised over his involvement.
A significant rebellion by many Labour MPs (including Angela Rayner) has arisen, with pressure placed on the government to agree to the release of the vetting documents relating to Mandelson’s appointment. This will be reviewed by the Intelligence and Security Committee to ensure that national security has not been compromised. In the meantime, Mandelson quit the House of Lords, resigned from the Labour Party, and was removed from the Privy Council.
The Prime Minister made a grovelling speech to the public, apologising to the victims of Epstein, in a mere attempt to rectify his wrongdoing. However, his leadership is still unequivocally in peril, and this scandal has prompted significant backlash. Leaders of the main political parties have called for Starmer to resign, whilst some of his own backbenchers (including Karl Turner and Rachael Maskell) have publicly suggested that “his days are numbered”. The leader of Scottish Labour has also publicly called for Starmer to resign. One suspects he won’t be the only one.
To add insult to injury, many of his own Labour MPs are urging Angela Rayner to challenge Starmer for the leadership. This comes alongside one of the worst approval ratings in the history of Prime Ministers, with three-quarters of the UK holding an unfavourable opinion of him in January. One wonders what this looks like now.
It started with Tulip Siddiq, the grooming gangs scandal, and then Angela Rayner. Now, Labour has tied itself into another knot—one from whence it will struggle to free itself. This recent scandal demonstrates the true corruption, sleaze, and ineffective management of the Labour Party, led by a man who appears to stand for nothing, except that which appears politically expedient. Opposition parties are against him, most of his own supporters are losing faith, and he has lost the approval of the country. It is time he does the sensible thing: pack his bags and resign before he inflicts further damage on the UK.
Jack Watson is a 17-year old currently studying at Wyke College in Hull. You can read his Substack about following Hull City FC here. Follow him on X here.
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Wilson-Callaghan was dire…Blair-Brown was worse…Starmer-? breaks the pattern…
Not to mention Major, Blair, Cameron, May, Johnson, and Sunak! The list is long. The UK has had poor leadership for decades – leaders who have seemed content only to manage what they have perceived as national decline.
He won’t go willingly because he is from a class of dim witted and entitled people who believe they are significantly better and more intelligent than those they despise (that’s the rest of us BTW). The latest Gina Miller Court Case sums this attitude up perfectly.
He seems also to be autocratic and totalitarian, indifferent and even slightly hostile to the electorate, preferring elitism and globalism to democracy, a man who is reportedly “more at home at Davos than at Westminster”. Much of the problem also stems from the fact that the executive is unaccountable and has too much peacetime power, whilst the electoral system is broken and unrepresentative of voters’ wishes.
I didn’t think it was possible to hate them all more than I do already – but I find it is. Double that for Slimy.