Newslinks for Thursday 11th of September 2025 | Conservative Home

Labour MPs break ranks to join Badenoch’s call for Starmer to sack Ambassador Mandelson over Epstein links

“Labour MPs are breaking ranks to call for Lord Mandelson to be sacked over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Sir Keir Starmer is facing growing pressure from within his own party to sack the British ambassador to the US over his friendship with the late financier and convicted paedophile. However, the Prime Minister has insisted he backs the Labour peer despite demands from MPs on the Left of the party, including a candidate to be the new deputy leader. Andy McDonald, Labour MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East, said: “I fail to see how our ambassador to the US can possibly continue in post.”… Kim Johnson, the MP for Liverpool Riverside, said: “As much as [Mr Mandelson] says on radio that he regrets it, the fact is that he called him his ‘best pal’ in his birthday card. “That suggests to me a very strong relationship because who sends cards with those comments on? He should never have got it in the first place.” Meanwhile, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, a Left-wing challenger for the Labour deputy leadership, said Lord Mandelson should face an investigation by the Prime Minister’s ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, and resign if he is found to have broken any rules. Another Labour MP, Richard Burgon, said: “Peter Mandelson should never have been appointed. He should be immediately sacked.” – Daily Telegraph

• Spluttering Keir Starmer slammed by Kemi Badenoch over latest ‘disgrace’ – Daily Express
• Mandelson should quit as US ambassador, says Labour deputy leader candidate – The i
• Labour MPs break ranks to call for Lord Mandelson to quit over Jeffrey Epstein links – as squirming Starmer says he does have confidence in US envoy – Daily Mail
• Epstein fury. Labour MPs break ranks & call for paedo Epstein’s ‘best pal’ Lord Mandelson to quit as bombshell leaked emails revealed – The Sun
• Starmer rejects calls to sack Lord Mandelson over Jeffrey Epstein – The Times
• Mandelson advised Epstein to ‘fight for early release’ after child sex conviction – Daily Telegraph
• Peter Mandelson urged Tony Blair to meet Epstein in secret memo – The Times
• Starmer’s officials blocked release of secret Mandelson memo telling Blair to meet Epstein – Daily Telegraph
• Mandelson asked Epstein for help vetting Israeli adviser – The Times
• Lord Mandelson urged ‘best pal’ Jeffrey Epstein to ‘fight for early release’ as paedophile was facing jail for child sex offences and told him: ‘Your friends love you’ – Daily Mail
• ‘Your friends love you,’ Mandelson told Epstein after 2008 charges, emails show – Guardian
• Was he killed? Jeffrey Epstein may have been murdered in jail, ex ‘best pal’ Lord Mandelson says in bombshell interview – The Sun
• Mandelson’s Epstein problem is not going away – Spectator

Editorial

Comment

• Sacking Mandelson over Epstein could embarrass Trump – why flustered PM is in a fix – Kitty Donaldson, The i
• This scandal is Starmer in a nutshell – everything done correctly but to the wrong conclusion – Tim Stanley, Daily Telegraph
• Even Rachel Reeves pitied Keir Starmer at PMQs – Madeline Grant, Spectator
• Starmer does a royal job of putting off Mandelson questions – Tom Peck, The Times
• How long can Peter Mandelson survive? – Max Mitchell, Unherd

British planes could be used in Poland after Putin launches drones over NATO air space

“Britain is poised to deploy fighter jets and an air defence system to Poland after Nato shot down Russian drones over allied territory for the first time in its history. The Telegraph understands John Healey has instructed the military to explore dispatching RAF Typhoons to police the skies above Eastern Europe, or a Sky Sabre missile battery and its ground-based radar. The Defence Secretary said he had asked Britain’s armed forces “to look at options to bolster Nato’s air defence over Poland” after 19 Russian drones entered Polish airspace early on Wednesday. At least four were shot down in a Nato operation involving Polish and Dutch fighter jets, an Italian early warning AWACS aircraft and a German Patriot air-defence system. Warsaw described the incursion as an “unprecedented violation” of its territory after the drones slipped across the border with Belarus during a seven-hour Russian barrage on Ukraine. After European leaders rallied to criticise Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump wrote online: “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones?” – Daily Telegraph

• RAF jets could shoot down Russian drones over Poland – The i
• Britain could send fighter jets to Poland in the wake of Russian drone incursion as Defence Secretary John Healey says Vladimir Putin is ‘testing’ the west – Daily Mail
• Poland ‘closer to military conflict than at any time since WW2’ as Nato allies weigh response to Russian drones – Guardian
• ‘Here we go!’ Trump asks ‘what’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace?’ as he reacts to Putin’s drones being shot down, ‘moving Europe its closest to war since WW2’ – Daily Mail
• ‘Here we go!’ Trump breaks silence over Russia’s drone invasion of Poland and UK could deploy more forces as Putin brings WW3 to brink – The Sun
• Now Putin knows he can cross Nato’s red lines and get away with it – Daily Telegraph
• What is Vladimir Putin’s game plan against Nato’s eastern flank? – FT

Comment

• Poland is showing feeble Europe how to confront the Russian bear – Con Coughlan, Daily Telegraph
• The Kremlin had nothing to gain from sending drones to Poland – Owen Matthews, Spectator

Today

Starmer’s preference Phillipson, moves ahead in race to be Deputy Labour Leader

“The Labour deputy leadership contest is narrowing towards a two-horse race, as the frontrunner, Bridget Phillipson, warned immigration has become a “totemic” issue for MPs under threat from Reform UK. The education secretary became the first candidate to reach 80 supporters, causing a rush by her rivals to avoid a “coronation”. In an attempt to woo red wall MPs representing seats in Labour’s northern heartlands, Phillipson acknowledged that border security was a major concern of voters. She said immigration had become a “totemic” issue and that the government had to show it was working to bring down the number of small boat arrivals. Her pitch at the husting of red wall MPs was to “give hope” to voters that ministers were working to tackle the problem and improve public services.” – The Times

• Bridget Phillipson passes Labour MP threshold in deputy leader race – Daily Telegraph
• Welfare warning from left candidates as Phillipson takes lead in Labour deputy race – The i
• Keir Starmer ally Bridget Phillipson sails through to next stage of Labour deputy leadership race as field slims to five after fellow minister drops out – Daily Mail
• How battle to replace Rayner could damage Labour and turn off voters – The i
• Bridget Phillipson and Lucy Powell set for two-horse race to be Labour deputy – Guardian
• Phillipson and Powell head to head as left collapse in deputy leadership race – The i
• Union official takes over from Rayner to drive through workers’ rights law – Daily Telegraph
• Rachel Reeves admits high taxes ARE hitting economy as she urges Cabinet to rein in spending to help fill ‘£50bn’ hole in public finances at Budget – Daily Mail

Comment

• Angela Rayner is a disgrace – UK is right to be sick to back teeth of her – Virgina Blackburn, Daily Express
• Britain is becoming France in the worst possible way – Joseph Dinnage, CapX

Yesterday

Braverman insists she’s not joining Reform ahead of ECHR press conference with Tice

“Two senior Tories sparked fresh speculation they could defect to Reform UK today after it was announced they will appear at an event with Nigel Farage’s deputy. Suella Braverman, the ex-home secretary, and Lord Frost, Britain’s former chief Brexit negotiator, are set to join a press conference on Thursday with Richard Tice. It comes after Nadine Dorries, the former culture secretary, became the latest ex-Tory minister to defect to Reform at the party’s conference last week. But a spokesman for Mrs Braverman, the Conservative MP for Fareham and Waterlooville, knocked back suggestions she would also be joining Mr Farage’s outfit. ‘Suella is not defecting,’ they said, adding that Mrs Braverman was looking forward to releasing her policy paper on how to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Lord Frost, a Conservative peer, earlier said he was looking forward to joining Mrs Braverman and Mr Tice, Reform’s deputy leader. He added the London press conference would ‘help launch Suella’s important paper on leaving the ECHR and its implications’.” – Daily Mail

• Promise of ECHR reform a ‘political trick’, says attorney-general – The Times
• Hundreds of small boat migrants to sue for thousands over conditions in detention centre – The Sun
• Two children dead after trying to cross the Channel – The Times
• French have ‘blood on their hands’ after migrants crushed to death in fatal crossings – Daily Express

Tube misery continues for commuters who call for driverless trains, and ask ‘where’s the Mayor?’

“Driverless trains could be the solution to avoiding more Underground strikes, experts claimed today as the week-long walkout continued to cripple London and Sir Sadiq Khan was accused of being ‘completely absent’. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union are taking part in a six-day walkout between Sunday and Friday which has paralysed Tube services. Mr Khan’s Tory opponents accused him of ‘abdicating his fundamental duty’ and claimed he had been ‘nowhere to be seen’ during the transport crisis.” – Daily Mail

• Tube drivers striking ‘because they cannot buy in London on £72k salary’ – Daily Telegraph
• Tube drivers are striking ‘because they can’t afford a house in London’ on £72k salaries, union boss says – Daily Mail

Trump supporter and MAGA commentator Charlie Kirk is shot dead at public meeting

“Charlie Kirk has died after being shot in the neck at an event at Utah Valley University. The conservative commentator, 31, was hit by a single bullet while speaking to crowds at the public university in Orem on Wednesday afternoon. Father-of-two Kirk, known for his fierce MAGA views and thrilling debates with college kids across the country, collapsed immediately after being hit by the gunfire. He was rushed to hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Kirk’s killer is still on the loose, with a major manhunt by the FBI and Utah police underway. ‘The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead,’ Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social. ‘No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!’ – Daily Mail

• Police give update after Charlie Kirk shot dead – Daily Telegraph
• US lawmakers unite to condemn Charlie Kirk shooting: ‘Reject political violence’ – Guardian
• Donald Trump ally Charlie Kirk shot dead in Utah – FT
• Trump says Charlie Kirk shot dead during event at Utah Valley University – Guardian
• Who was Charlie Kirk? MAGA firebrand with millions of followers shot at his own college event – Daily Mail

Comment

• Charlie Kirk’s shooting is a terrifying moment for American democracy – Poppy Coburn, Daily Telegraph

Today

News in Brief

• Will Labour back Britain’s builders? – Steve Mulholland, CapX
• Isaac Herzog is no longer a liberal Israeli president – David Rose, Unherd
• We are facing a crisis of competency – Tom Jones, The Critic
• Netanyahu’s deadly gamble Israel has targeted diplomacy – David Patrikarakos, Unherd