"The uncharitable view is they flunked it by not acting quickly enough putting the prime minister's face on the calamity by sending him into the bearpit of Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) with a staunch defence of his man in Washington. They knew there were new allegations about his relationship with Epstein. The direction of travel seemed set - and Mandelson would likely have to go."
"The more generous argument made by Sir Keir's allies - he's been let down by two different people in two different ways, and has had to front up to clean up their different messes. "Keir is frustrated and a bit angry because he is having to deal with the conduct of others, rather than show what he is trying to do," one source says. Another says: "He hired someone who didn't tell him the full truth.""
Downing Street mishandled revelations about Lord Mandelson's friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, prompting criticism for slow action and exposing the prime minister at Prime Minister's Questions. The prime minister defended Mandelson and previously defended Angela Rayner, undermining his authority and disrupting Labour's attempt at an autumn reset. Allies offer a more generous view that the prime minister has been left to clean up others' misconduct and was not fully informed by staff. New details about who knew what and when continue to emerge, deepening embarrassment and raising questions about internal communications and accountability within the leadership team.
Read at www.bbc.com
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