Epstein Files: Will Mandelson Cost Starmer His Job?
Newscast
BBC
4.3 • 6.6K Ratings
🗓️ 5 February 2026
⏱️ 39 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Today, the Prime Minister has apologised to victims of Jeffrey Epstein for appointing Peter Mandelson as US ambassador and “believing his lies”.
Adam is joined by Henry in Westminster with Ailbhe Rea from the New Statesman and Luke Sullivan, Keir Starmer’s former political director to break down where the Mandelson affair leaves the Prime Minister.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:05.7 | Hello, and thank you to newscaster Clive, who sent this message. |
| 0:09.3 | Hi, Adam. Just wondered if you watched Robert Peston on Wednesday on ITV, |
| 0:12.8 | as he was interviewing the Tory leader, and during the interview, |
| 0:15.6 | did you notice a mouse or rat running along the back of the room? |
| 0:19.3 | Peston carried on the interview and never mentioned it. |
| 0:21.9 | Enjoy listening to your newscast podcast. |
| 0:23.9 | Well, thank you for your message, Clive. |
| 0:25.1 | Thank you for the endorsement. |
| 0:26.5 | I wasn't watching Peston in real time. |
| 0:28.5 | I have to confess, but I have seen many clips of the mouse running behind Kemi Badernock. |
| 0:34.9 | And I think it says it's not a metaphor for politics, but it is a |
| 0:38.7 | clear indication of what it's like at Parliament, that it's this kind of huge symbol and it's so |
| 0:45.7 | central to our national life. But when you're in there, it's quite grimy. It's really not glamorous |
| 0:53.3 | at all. And the presence of the mouse kind of shows that. |
| 0:57.7 | Although I do have to say the pest controllers of Westminster do an excellent job and there to be commended. |
| 1:04.5 | Right. Let's get on with this episode of newscast and there's lots to catch up on because there have been several developments and a real increase in the temperature in the politics around the Peter Mandelson affair and the Prime Minister's judgment during it. |
| 1:16.0 | So that is what you'll hear on this episode of Newscast. |
| 1:19.2 | Newscast from the BBC. |
| 1:21.5 | Fat boy sliver me in the classroom doing our violin lessons. |
| 1:24.4 | I was the tappletail in the class. |
| 1:25.8 | Can I have an apology, please? |
... |
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