Reform UK’s policy chief Zia Yusuf has launched a blistering attack on Sir Keir Starmer, branding the Prime Minister’s leadership as “unsustainable” and “cold-blooded” following a series of scandals and a collapse in public support.
This comes after the Prime Minister apologised to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein yesterday for believing Lord Mandelson’s “lies” and appointing him as the UK’s ambassador to the US.
Speaking on GB News, Mr Yusuf dismissed the idea that the Prime Minister is “grappling with his conscience,” instead claimed that a “calamity” is unfolding within the walls of Downing Street.
Mr Yusuf told The People’s Channel: “I have absolutely no sympathy whatsoever. You hear a lot about Keir Starmer apparently ‘grappling with his conscience’, particularly from the left-wing press.
“But what conscience is that? The same conscience he grappled with when he pursued and hounded brave British veterans through the courts, driving one of them, in particular, to attempt suicide three times.
“Remember, he was confronted at a committee hearing and told that a farmer had taken his own life and that others were considering doing so as a result of his appalling tax raid.
“You saw his response, I thought it was cold-blooded and awful. So I don’t think there’s much grappling going on here.
“Keir Starmer is only Prime Minister because the Conservative vote collapsed at the last general election, after the British public grew sick of corruption, betrayal and sleaze.
Zia Yusuf said that Sir Keir Starmer ‘needs to go’ after the scandal
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GB NEWS
“In fact, Starmer won fewer votes than Jeremy Corbyn did on both occasions Corbyn ran. And what have we seen since Starmer entered Downing Street? One scandal after another.”
“What’s really telling is that Starmer admitted this week that he knew Lord Mandelson had continued his close friendship with Jeffrey Epstein even after Epstein became a convicted paedophile.
“I genuinely cannot understand anyone watching this programme who has ever hired someone, or made a recommendation for hiring, thinking that this is acceptable.
“Why on earth would you give a job to someone who has done that let alone appoint them as US ambassador, one of the most prestigious and high-profile diplomatic roles in politics?
“So this idea that he’s now angry is absolutely outrageous. And by the way, imagine how angry the British public are.”
LATEST ON THE LORD MANDELSON SCANDAL
Lord Mandelson had previously admitted to his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein | GETTY
He added: “The Labour Party has turned into a circular firing squad. The party’s former deputy leader Baroness Harman called him weak and Naive. Graham Stringer, the veteran Labour MP, admitted in this studio yesterday that Starmer is finished.
“At the same time, the wagons are circling Downing Street. Angela Rayner at the helm, Wes Streeting manoeuvring, Andy Burnham hovering. We have a political calamity on our hands.
“To put it mildly, this is now a question of when not if Keir Starmer is replaced. The real issue is whether the next Labour leader wants to inherit the looming disaster of the May elections.”
Lord Mandelson was a prominent figure in New Labour during Tony Blair’s premiership but was twice forced to step down from ministerial roles following separate scandals.
He was brought into Sir Keir Starmer’s team in early 2025, as the Prime Minister sought to improve relations with the Trump administration.
He was dismissed in September after appearing in a series of Epstein-linked files and photographs released by a US Congressional committee.
Further details have since emerged as part of a release of around three million documents made public by the US Department of Justice last week.
Lord Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing connected to Epstein, saying he regrets having maintained contact with him and has apologised to the financier’s victims.
The Government will publish documents relating to his appointment to the Washington role after MPs approved a Conservative motion on Wednesday night.
However, any material considered sensitive on national security or international relations grounds will first be examined by Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee, which has said there is no set timeframe for completing its review.