The prime minister was torn to shreds on GB News.

Keir Starmer has come under fire once again (Image: Getty)

Keir Starmer has been ripped apart on GB News as the Lord Peter Mandelson scandal continues to escalate. The prime minister appointed Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to the US, claiming to be unaware of the extent of his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Starmer has since apologised to Epstein’s victims for “believing Mandelson’s lies”. The police have now launched an investigation into allegations that Mandelson leaked sensitive information to the disgraced financier.

The prime minister has claimed the documents related to the appointment of Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to the US, which could be close to 100,000, will show that he lied about his friendship to Epstein. Speaking to GB News presenter Dawn Neesom, Oliva Utley said she feels this weekend could be the “calm before the storm”, but suggested Labour MPs may ultimately decide that Starmer made a terrible mistake and continue to support him as there is no one better for the job.

Starmer claimed to be unaware of the extent of Mandelson’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein when he appointed him as the UK’s ambassador to the US (Image: Getty)

The political correspondent continued: “I find it interesting that very few Labour MPs have spoken out on the record and said that they want Keir Starmer to go. They might be thinking it privately, but we haven’t yet got to the stage, which we saw in the dying days of the Boris Johnson government, of ministers lining up and saying he’s got to go.

“So there is a small chance that this fizzles away over the next few days and weeks. But we are yet to see this information.”

She highlighted that the Conservatives successfully managed to demand the release of all the documents related to the appointment of Mandelson as ambassador.

“Downing Street says that it’s very keen for this information to be released because it will prove that Keir Starmer was lied to by Lord Mandelson. But that raises the question, why did he believe it?” she fumed.

Olivia Utley weighed in on the scandal (Image: GB News)

Utley repeated comments made by Labour grandee Harriet Harmon, who claimed Starmer looks “weak, gullible and naive” for believing Mandelson’s claims.

The GB News star claimed Downing Street is “clinging” to the hope that Starmer will be exonerated once the documents are released.

But she declared: “Personally, I’m not sure that line is going to wash with the public. After all, Mandelson has been called the Prince of Darkness for 40 years.

“Why did Keir Starmer appoint him? I think he is genuinely furious with McSweeney, with Mandelson but also with himself for going ahead with this appointment. He did it against his better judgement.”