There is a sulphurous mood in the House of Commons today. Peter Mandelson hangs over Westminster, amid ongoing revelations about his contact with Jeffrey Epstein. At PMQs, Kemi Badenoch gave another impressive performance. She forced Keir Starmer to admit that he knew at the time of Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador that he had remained friends with Epstein after his conviction for child sex offences. That confession changed the narrative from a story about process to a debate around judgement. Angry Labour MPs are now discussing whether Starmer can survive.

Questions about a leader’s authority are par for the course at a time when their party is struggling. The danger for Starmer is that these discussions are no longer just happening in private huddles and closed........

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