Starmer should ‘do the right thing’ and quit over Mandelson row, says Flynn

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has called on the Prime Minister to “do the right thing” and resign.

Sir Keir Starmer has faced more pressure to quit after it was revealed the Foreign Office overruled a recommendation not to clear Peter Mandelson to be the UK ambassador to the US.

While the Prime Minister is said to be “furious” at the decision and the Foreign Office’s top civil servant Sir Olly Robbins was effectively fired, Sir Keir remains in the hot seat.

Mr Flynn said: “The resignation of Olly Robbins does not get the Prime Minister off the hook – it only raises more questions.

“Keir Starmer has run out of excuses, and fall guys, to blame for his own bad judgment and incompetence. He should do the decent thing and resign – before he is forced out.”

The Prime Minister’s “judgment and credibility” have been “fatally damaged” by the appointment and subsequent sacking of Lord Mandelson, Mr Flynn added.

The Labour grandee left the post last year after communications were released between him and late paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, sparking a period of political turmoil for the Prime Minister which resulted in the resignation of his former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney.

Mr Flynn added: “Starmer used to claim he always takes responsibility and never blames his staff – but throughout his time as Prime Minister he has repeatedly thrown others under the bus to save his own skin.

“The fact remains, Starmer chose to appoint Mandelson despite knowing he had maintained a relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, the world’s most notorious paedophile and convicted sex offender.

“Starmer chose to appoint Mandelson despite knowing his long history of scandals, which put the UK government into disrepute and forced him to resign multiple times. It’s no surprise he failed security vetting.”

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Friday morning, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones said: “The Prime Minister was very clear that due process was followed.

“The fact that due process involved the right for the Foreign Office to ignore the recommendation of the security vetting team is astonishing.”

Asked if Sir Keir had considered resigning, Mr Jones told BBC Breakfast: “No.”