Sir Keir Starmer has left the door open for Lord Mandelson to stay on as a peer after his close ties to Jeffrey Epstein were revealed.
The former ambassador to the United States was sacked from his role after it emerged last month that he had sent emails to convicted sex offender Epstein before he was sentenced in 2008.
Lord Mandelson is understood to have told the paedophile financier to “fight for early release” and said “I think the world of you”.
Speaking to reporters during his trade mission to Mumbai, the Prime Minister was asked if he could see a future for Lord Mandelson in frontline politics.
Sir Keir replied: “Not in a Government role in terms of future appointments.
“I think Peter is also on a leave of absence from the Lords in any event so the issue of the whip doesn’t arise.”
Lord Mandelson technically does not have the Labour whip in the Lords, as when he started his post as ambassador to Washington, he took a leave of absence from Parliament’s upper chamber.
He has previously said he continued his association with Epstein “for too long”.
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Yvette Cooper: ‘European countries will all be strongly playing part in Gaza peace process’
Yvette Cooper said European countries ‘will all be strongly playing’ their part in the Gaza peace process
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PA
European countries “will all be strongly playing” their part in the Gaza peace process, Yvette Cooper has said at a meeting of foreign ministers in Paris.
The Foreign Secretary has faced questions about Europe’s role in the interim governance of Gaza, as Israel and Hamas agree to a pause in the two-year war.
Hamas has also agreed to release the remaining hostages, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Donald Trump has received praise for his role in trying to broker a deal between the warring parties, which Sir Keir Starmer said “would not have happened without” the US President’s leadership.
Ms Cooper said: “I pay tribute to not just the US, but Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, who have been involved in these negotiations.
“The crucial thing now is to support the implementation of the first phase but also for all of us to come together as part of the second phase.
“European nations, the UK, other nations also from across the world, will all be strongly playing our part in supporting this peace process.”