STORY
Jess Phillips has said she threatened to resign several times over the appointment of Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the United States. The former safeguarding minister said she had been “hurt and upset” by the original appointment, before Mandelson was later dismissed over his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.
Phillips said she used the situation to press for commitments on violence against women and girls, saying she made demands in order to stay in Government. She resigned earlier this month with a letter criticising Sir Keir Starmer for failing to be bold and for allowing opportunities for progress to stall.
The intervention adds to pressure on the Prime Minister from within Labour, particularly on questions of judgement and political direction. It also keeps the Mandelson row alive at a sensitive moment for Downing Street, with former ministers and backbenchers increasingly willing to speak publicly about their concerns.