'Accountability needed' in wake of Mandelson scandal, Labour MP Laura Kyrke-Smith says

Conservative, Labour and Reform UK politicians from the South discuss the consequences of the Lord Mandelson scandal for the prime minister and the government

A Labour MP has said she is "sickened" by the Peter Mandelson scandal and called for “accountability”.

Laura Kyrke-Smith told ITV Meridian’s The Last Word that the government’s "guiding question" in how it responds "has to be, are we doing right by these women and these girls?"

Asked if she thought Number 10 Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney should be sacked, the Aylesbury MP said: "I think we have to look at what's in the [government vetting] documents…I do think there needs to be accountability."

Sir Keir Starmer, on a visit to Hastings, apologised to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein, saying he is "sorry for having believed Mandelson’s lies" and appointed him British ambassador to Washington.

Conservative MP Gregory Stafford told the ITV political programme the scandal "shows the Prime Minister's judgement is appalling."

The Farnham and Bordon MP described Sir Keir’s decision to "appoint somebody who was a friend of a convicted paedophile" as "shameful."

"My personal view is Starmer needs to go and he needs to go soon," Mr Stafford added.

Reform UK’s Chris Parry, who went to university with Peter Mandelson, described his political downfall as "a death foretold."

The retired rear admiral, who is standing to be mayor of Hampshire and the Solent said: "The prime minister is solely responsible for this awful appointment."

Lord Mandelson has previously denied any criminality. He was sacked from his ambassador role last September after more details emerged of his links with Epstein, who died in 2019.

ITV Meridian’s monthly political programme, The Last Word, is on ITV1 at 11.25pm on Thursday, 5 February 2026. Watch the full episode on ITVX and YouTube.