Starmer faces internal Labour criticism after Mandelson sacking

Peter Mandelson’s sacking as Britain’s ambassador to Washington has reopened Labour’s factional wounds.

In a scathing comment on Lord Mandelson’s dismissal, the coordinator of new Labour group Mainstream accused the Prime Minister of “running a narrow and brittle political project” that put factional interest before both party and country.

Mainstream was launched this week as a “home for Labour’s radical realists” with the backing of Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, sparking speculation he could be planning a return to Westminster.

Former deputy leadership hopeful Paula Barker, another Mainstream supporter, also criticised the “delay” in dismissing Lord Mandelson, saying there should have been “no hesitation”.

She added: “The delay in sacking him has only served to further erode the trust and confidence in our Government and politics in the round. We must be better.”

Another backbencher, Charlotte Nichols, said Lord Mandelson’s sacking was “not immediate enough unfortunately, as he should never have been appointed in the first place”.

And North Somerset MP Sadik Al-Hassan said there were “serious questions about the vetting process of the ambassador”, calling for whoever had vetted Lord Mandelson to be sacked as well.

The row comes amid rising backbench discontent over the Government’s performance and less than a week after a Cabinet reshuffle that some on the left of the party said suggested Sir Keir was unwilling to change direction or listen to their concerns.

Luke Hurst, Mainstream’s national coordinator, said: “Peter Mandelson’s inevitable sacking is what happens when you put your party faction’s interest before your party and before the country.

“If Starmer keeps running a narrow and brittle political project it will break him and could break the Labour Party. We need a Government and party of all the talents and all the views.”

Meanwhile Justin Madders, who was sacked as employment minister less than a week ago, described Lord Mandelson’s dismissal as the “best sacking of the week by some distance”.