UK PM Starmer fights back over sacking of his envoy to US

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday fought back against a growing challenge to his leadership from the Opposition Tories and his own Labour Party backbenchers over the sacking of Peter Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to the US.

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Starmer admitted being aware of damaging emails that indicated Mandelson’s close ties with convicted American paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. However, the Prime Minister stressed that he was not aware of the “nature and extent” of the veteran Labour Party politician’s relationship with Epstei who died in a New York prison six years ago.