Jack McConnell calls for ‘complete reset’ in Labour leadership

Former Labour first minister Jack McConnell has called for someone in the party to “step up” and make a bid for leadership.

His comments come at the end of a tumultuous week for Keir Starmer, whose judgement is being questioned after he appointed Lord Mandelson to be the ambassador to the US despite having a relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

The prime minister apologised yesterday for “having believed Mandelson’s lies and appointed him”.

But Lord McConnell has said there now needs to be a “complete reset”, arguing there have been “far too many mistakes, far too many misjudgements, and a lack of a sense of purpose”.

He said MPs must now “show us what [they’ve] got” to take the party forward.

Speaking to Times Radio, he said: “What really matters now is whether somebody is prepared to step up. I don’t think we can have a new prime minister who’s tainted by scandal or who is associated in the past or even recently with those at the heart of this scandal.

“We need somebody to step up and say, ‘I have a different vision for the country, I have a different way of running the country and leading the party, and I am courageous and visionary enough to set that out and to ask you to support me’.”

A growing number of Labour MPs have been expressing their dissatisfaction with the Labour leadership in recent days. Some have refused to defend the prime minister while others have gone further, calling for him to go.

Party rules mean a leadership contest could be forced, but it would require 80 MPs to support one challenger.

Other MPs have turned their fire on Starmer’s chief-of-staff, Morgan McSweeney, who reportedly argued strongly for Mandelson’s appointment.

But McConnell said MPs should “stop blaming the advisers”.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar yesterday said he was “disgusted and furious” about the situation, adding Mandelson “never should have been the ambassador to the US”.

When asked whether Starmer could survive, he said: “Yes, but we need full transparency and answers because people will be absolutely furious.”

Starmer told journalists yesterday that he intended to remain as prime minister, placing the blame squarely with Mandelson who he said had “lied” about the “depth and darkness” of his relationship with Epstein.

He has instructed officials to release information relating to Mandelson’s appointment, including evidence that he lied during the vetting process. However, not all information will be published due to both national security concerns and a live criminal investigation by the Met into Mandelson.