Keir Starmer has been pressed to “come clean” on what he knew about Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.(Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been pressed to “come clean” on how the sacking of former ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson unfolded and the process that led to his appointment last year.

Starmer, who was not present at an emergency debate on Mandelson’s sacking on Tuesday, said on Monday that he would not have appointed the former ambassador had he known details about his emails to Jeffrey Epstein prior to last December.

The Labour leader said he only found out about emails uncovered by Bloomberg after PMQs last Wednesday, when he had backed Mandelson.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee

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