Labour MP says Starmer is not ‘up to the job’ as leader

A Labour MP has hit out at Sir Keir Starmer, saying he “doesn’t seem up to the job”, as the PM scrambled to defend his under-fire chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, amid growing pressure over his involvement in the appointment of Peter Mandelson.

- MILLIE COOKE KATE DEVLIN

Sir Keir insisted he had confidence in Mr McSweeney following reports he personally pushed for Lord Mandelson, despite concerns over his links with Jeffrey Epstein.

Britain's ambassador to the US was dramatically sacked on Thursday after new revelations about his relationship with the convicted paedophile – raising serious questions about the prime minister's judgement and leading Labour MP Clive Lewis to become the first backbencher to publicly call for the prime minister to go.

It came as claims about Mr McSweeney's involvement sparked a debate over whether or not he is the right person for the top Downing Street job. No 10 rowed in behind him yesterday morning, saying: “Of course the prime minister has confidence in his top team.”

But former Labour home secretary David Blunkett called on Sir Keir to “widen the circle” of people around him, warning the prime minister that “politics is a rough ride”.

In what will be seen as a reference to Mr McSweeney, who entered Downing Street for the first time with Sir Keir, he said the Labour leader should gather around him “people with experience, people who are seasoned politicians, who he can test things with ... Actually counterweighting the younger people, the less experienced people who gather around him.”

Mr Lewis, the MP for Norwich South, who is on the left of the party, told BBC Radio 4's Week in Westminster programme: “You see a Labour prime minister who feels that he's lost control within the first year.