"This was a catastrophic error of political and moral judgment," Labour MP Jonathan Hinder tells #PoliticsLive "I think Labour MPs would appreciate the prime minister saying 'I cocked up'", he adds Follow live:

Is Hinder taking the piss? The only words the Prime Minister should be saying is "I resign".

Let’s be clear: no one was “friends” with a pedophile because they went to his parties, his flat, his island, or his plane to take part in a book club. It’s amazing how all these rich and powerful men suddenly play the Mr. Bean card and claim they had no idea why, every time they saw him, there was a collection of young girls who should have been at school—or what was really going on. If he cares about the victims tell the police to investigate. Calling it just a “mistake” insults our intelligence.

But Starmer didn't "cock up". He had all the information on Mandleson and Epstein put before him, knew of the close relationship even after Epstein was imprisoned, knew that Mandelson stayed at his apartment. He knew. But he still gave Mandelson the job.

Starmer is actually , blaming everyone - but himself !

I think you'll find @Jonathan_Hinder, an apology is just not going to cut it!

Hinder seems to be as deluded and ridiculous as Starmer if he believes Starmer shouldn't resign.

He did exactly that, @Jonathan_Hinder not sure what more MPs are expecting. A pound of flesh?

Not a peep from @BBCVickiYoung about Farage’s name being mentioned in the Epstein files numerous times. #SackRobbieGibb

I think we'd appreciate it if he immediately resigned, thanks. At best he is gullible and incompetent; at worst he is a moral vacuum prepared to say and do anything to save his skin. Away with Starmer.

@BBCNews Starmer is untrustworthy and a liar. He needs to resign

And if this was a right wing PM, the left wing ring lickers would not be this relaxed on it. They'd be calling on all lefty activists to finally come out of their bedrooms with their crayons and cardboard and to start protesting outside Downing Street. Weak, spineless idiots.

@BBCNews But Starmer never takes the blame for anything, he should know that.

Or saying "I resign" 🤣

What dirt has Peter got on Keir?

Starmer MUST have known about Mandelson's antics as he talks to UK "intelligence" services whose job is to pry on activities of those in public office! They are either "unfit for purpose" or (much more likely) are "in on it" so are working against the interests of British people.

@BBCNews Forget Epstien, Starmer shouldn't have considered Mandelson for the Washington job anyway. What planet was he on?

Starmer has addressed this directly By contrast Farage ducks questions on Russian links, financial omissions, tax avoidance, his links to Epstein contacts And no scrutiny from BBC Time to #InvestigateFarage

This is very enlightening,explains why Farage and Trump are sucking up to Putin. Mandleson is rightly being strongly condemned for his actions but he's not the only 1. Keir Starmer only knew what we knew. The release of the Epstein files has implicated 100s of Public figures. The Tories and Reform UK all know what they have done,it's all in the Retracted Documents released by USA courts. They are trying to distract from their involvement. Why didn't the Conservatives do anything about Mandleson??? Epstein files reveal paedophile financier’s desperate attempts to court Vladimir Putin The Russian president is named more than one thousand times in the documents released by the US Department of Justice James C. Reynolds Tuesday 03 February 2026 06:24 GMT Epstein advised Bannon to stay in Britain as long as possible, and Bannon replied that the country was in a "hot mess", according to Byline Times.. In January 2025, the academic-turned-GB News presenter Matt Goodwin, now Reform's candidate in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election, met Bannon. In a Substack post in January last year, he said he "joined a meeting with the leaders of Europe’s anti-establishment parties" in Washington, DC. "I also attended Nigel Farage’s ‘Stars and Stripes’ party at the Hay Adams Hotel, which was absolutely packed with countless American and British politicians and donors, offering a sharp contrast between Nigel Farage’s visible and growing influence in Washington and Keir Starmer who was nowhere to be seen in Washington." Goodwin added that "one of my most interesting discussions was at another party, hosted by Steve Bannon, Donald Trump’s former (and no doubt ongoing) consiglieri". He posted a photo of himself shaking hands with Bannon. Bannon told him that the Conservative party was "finished", Goodwin said. He added that Bannon believed Reform "look much better placed to pick up and run with the ongoing realignment of British politics —to drive home the same kind of rebellion that America is witnessing today". AI Overview Based on newly released documents and reported communications from the estate of Jeffrey Epstein, there was a documented connection between Epstein and Steve Bannon, a key ally of Boris Johnson during the Brexit era, in which they discussed UK politics, Brexit, and Johnson's rise to power in 2018. Here are the key details regarding the connection between Epstein, Bannon, and the Brexit, according to the records: Major new disclosures in the February 2026 release of Jeffrey Epstein’s files (totaling over 3.5 million documents) have revealed a significant preoccupation with Vladimir Putin, though direct evidence of a meeting between the two remains unconfirmed. Key findings from the latest US Department of Justice document release include: Attempts to Court the Kremlin Obsessive Interest: Vladimir Putin’s name appears 1,055 times in the newly released documents. Failed Meetings: Between 2013 and 2018, Epstein repeatedly lobbied contacts to secure a private audience with Putin, often citing a desire to discuss "foreign investment" and the "Russian economy". Thorbjørn Jagland Link: Epstein used the former Norwegian PM and Council of Europe head, Thorbjørn Jagland, as a primary intermediary. In 2013, Jagland reportedly offered to pitch a meeting to Putin on Epstein's behalf. St. Petersburg Rebuff: Epstein claimed in 2013 that he turned down a chance to meet Putin at a conference because there wasn't enough "privacy," though investigators have found no proof the invitation actually existed.

Jonathan Hinder’s words cut straight to the heart of accountability: leadership isn’t just about policy, it’s about owning mistakes. Admitting “I cocked up” might sting in the short term, but it’s far more credible than deflecting blame—especially when public trust and ethical judgment are on the line.

“I cocked up and I put the security of the nation in jeopardy” “I lied and I continue to lie to save my skin.” “The appointment was a slap in the face to all victims of sexual abuse, especially at the hands of paedophiles.” How does this sound?

He’s not apologising to the country for cocking up. He’s apologising to the victims for actions that were ‘ not his fault’. Presumably he thinks this gives him some kind of moral high ground. The man has the political acuity of ….. someone who has no political acuity. 🙇🏻‍♀️

And he has.

It needs to resign. We have had enough of it as PM

I could give two shits what Labour MPs, they all including the inept PM all work for us, they seem to forget this.

Labour Party sent out a real heavy hitter today to defend Starmer Jonathon Hinder an MP for 18mths an ex policeman a job the British public find hard to trust but if Starmer needs cannon fodder whom better than someone we never see again.

In those words? Hindy overseeing Labour X output?

@BBCNews If you make this level of catastrophic error you have no place running a country let alone being part of the government in any shape or fashion.

@BBCNews Clearly the decision was made because Mandy and Trump had the Epstein connection and it was considered it might be useful. Even more predictably it wasn’t. Awful advice, but would a different PM have followed it?

He needs to go. He engaged a man who had twice been thrown out of Government, on his responses to some questions? Where was the thorough vetting process???

Nope... We'd appreciate him fucking right off

The only cockup is being found out , they all knew about Mandelson’s connection to Epstein.

You are out of order saying this on TV. What's your Agenda? To get Rosie Duffield back by Ousting @Keir_Starmer I'm a @UKLabour member and @Keir_Starmer has my full confidence. He's achieved more for @UKLabour and the UK than the last 15 years of Labour leaders. Feel free to debate me on this !!! Mandleson is rightly being strongly condemned for his actions but he's not the only 1 who had close ties to Epstein after 2010. Keir Starmer only knew what we knew. I remember Mandleson was exposed about staying with Epstein and again in 2019. The release of the Epstein files has implicated 100s of Public figures. The Tories and Reform UK all know what they have done,it's all in the Retracted Documents released by USA courts. They are trying to distract from their involvement. Why didn't the Conservatives do anything about Mandleson??? Epstein files reveal paedophile financier’s desperate attempts to court Vladimir Putin The Russian president is named more than one thousand times in the documents released by the US Department of Justice James C. Reynolds Tuesday 03 February 2026 06:24 GMT Epstein advised Bannon to stay in Britain as long as possible, and Bannon replied that the country was in a "hot mess", according to Byline Times.. In January 2025, the academic-turned-GB News presenter Matt Goodwin, now Reform's candidate in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election, met Bannon. In a Substack post in January last year, he said he "joined a meeting with the leaders of Europe’s anti-establishment parties" in Washington, DC. "I also attended Nigel Farage’s ‘Stars and Stripes’ party at the Hay Adams Hotel, which was absolutely packed with countless American and British politicians and donors, offering a sharp contrast between Nigel Farage’s visible and growing influence in Washington and Keir Starmer who was nowhere to be seen in Washington." Goodwin added that "one of my most interesting discussions was at another party, hosted by Steve Bannon, Donald Trump’s former (and no doubt ongoing) consiglieri". He posted a photo of himself shaking hands with Bannon. Bannon told him that the Conservative party was "finished", Goodwin said. He added that Bannon believed Reform "look much better placed to pick up and run with the ongoing realignment of British politics —to drive home the same kind of rebellion that America is witnessing today". AI Overview Based on newly released documents and reported communications from the estate of Jeffrey Epstein, there was a documented connection between Epstein and Steve Bannon, a key ally of Boris Johnson during the Brexit era, in which they discussed UK politics, Brexit, and Johnson's rise to power in 2018. Here are the key details regarding the connection between Epstein, Bannon, and the Brexit, according to the records: Major new disclosures in the February 2026 release of Jeffrey Epstein’s files (totaling over 3.5 million documents) have revealed a significant preoccupation with Vladimir Putin, though direct evidence of a meeting between the two remains unconfirmed. Key findings from the latest US Department of Justice document release include: Attempts to Court the Kremlin Obsessive Interest: Vladimir Putin’s name appears 1,055 times in the newly released documents. Failed Meetings: Between 2013 and 2018, Epstein repeatedly lobbied contacts to secure a private audience with Putin, often citing a desire to discuss "foreign investment" and the "Russian economy". Thorbjørn Jagland Link: Epstein used the former Norwegian PM and Council of Europe head, Thorbjørn Jagland, as a primary intermediary. In 2013, Jagland reportedly offered to pitch a meeting to Putin on Epstein's behalf. St. Petersburg Rebuff: Epstein claimed in 2013 that he turned down a chance to meet Putin at a conference because there wasn't enough "privacy," though investigators have found no proof the invitation actually existed. Intelligence & Espionage Allegations

Starmer is a lawyer and will say anything to cover his position. Hiss grovelling this morning is his Custer moment