Labour MP John Slinger has insisted Keir Starmer will “come out of this strong” as he pushed back against claims that Labour’s election victory amounted to a “loveless landslide”.
Speaking amid growing scrutiny of the Prime Minister’s leadership, Mr Slinger acknowledged it had been a “very difficult” period for the Government but said he remained confident Sir Keir would emerge strengthened in the coming days.
The crisis engulfing Sir Keir stems from the appointment of Peter Mandelson as British Ambassador to the United States and his alleged connections to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
On Sunday, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney stepped down amid the furore.
In his resignation statement, Mr McSweeney accepted full responsibility for advising Sir Keir to make the appointment, describing it as wrong and damaging to “our party, our country and trust in politics itself”.
Speaking on GB News, Mr Slinger said: “I think it’s just a good chance, I think he will come out of this stronger. It’s clearly been a very difficult time, not just a few days but a difficult few weeks. But I’m very confident the Prime Minister will come out of this strong, and we’re going to see that over the coming days.”
GB News’ Eamonn Holmes asked: “But who are these people, John, who are saying this to you who are saying they believe in him?”
He said: “Well, there are plenty of people. Even in the last few days, I’ve had people come up to me in the street, literally as I was crossing the road, saying, ‘John, I saw your statement’ or ‘I heard you on the radio,’ and saying, ‘I’m not a Labour supporter, but the last thing we need is all this speculation. You guys in Parliament should be backing the Prime Minister.’
Labour MP John Slinger insisted that the PM will ‘come out stronger’
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GB NEWS
“I’ve also had emails from around the country. Not hundreds or thousands, but certainly emails saying, ‘I’m not your constituent, but I wanted to write to you to ask if you could pass a message on to the Prime Minister.’
“People saying, ‘Even though I’m not a Labour supporter, I think he’s a good Prime Minister. He’s doing a good job in very difficult circumstances, and we don’t like seeing backstabbing and speculation.’
“I haven’t had any emails yet saying the opposite, I’m sure I will, but I haven’t had any so far.
Commentator Cristo Foufas said: “I think this was a loveless landslide. The Conservatives were voted out, Labour were not voted in.
“In my opinion, no one was voting Labour because they were thrilled to go to the polls. Any goodwill they may have had has been completely lost by around 15 U-turns, a scandal within weeks of being elected over freebies, and incompetence after incompetence, month after month.
Keir Starmer apologised to the victims last week
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GETTY“It’s like Fawlty Towers. It’s like a Disney movie where people with no idea have won some sort of prize to end up in Downing Street. I don’t think anyone could have imagined it could be this bad.”
He responded: “Well, I don’t think that’s an accurate characterisation of the people in Downing Street.
“Take Morgan McSweeney, he’s spent years working day in, day out, probably seven days a week, getting the Labour Party into shape, running a campaign that won the election and now working at the Prime Minister’s side.
“I don’t think for a moment they see it as a game or a prize. But there is a wider point about people sometimes playing games or acting in their own personal interests, and that’s something everyone in politics in all parties should reflect on.
“The vast majority of people in Parliament, across all parties, are in it for the right reasons, and that applies to John as well.”
Last week, Sir Keir issued an apology to Epstein’s victims, saying he was “sorry for having believed Lord Mandelson’s lies and appointed him.”
The Prime Minister accused the 72-year-old Labour statesman of repeatedly deceiving him by portraying Epstein as someone he barely knew.
Police raided Lord Mandelson’s properties in Camden and Wiltshire over the weekend as pressure on Starmer’s leadership intensified.
The Prime Minister is set to address Labour MPs today as he battles to retain his grip on power. Sir Keir convened the meeting with the parliamentary party following McSweeney’s departure.
Meanwhile, speculation about potential successors has already begun circulating. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has emerged as one possibility, though her hardline stance on immigration may limit her appeal within the traditionally centrist party.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is considered another leading contender, with strong support among working-class voters that could boost Labour’s polling numbers.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who has earned praise for reducing NHS waiting lists and investing in AI diagnostics, is also seen as a potential candidate.
Former Labour leader Ed Miliband, currently serving as Environment Secretary, has likewise been mentioned as a possible replacement.