But Mr Brown backed Sir Keir as a “man of integrity” who had been “betrayed” by Lord Mandelson. “The searches were related to an ongoing investigation into misconduct in public office offences, involving a 72-year-old man. He said the alleged lies told by Lord Mandelson during his appointment process as US ambassador were “not sufficient explanation for what happened”. Sir Keir was “a leader who in denial looks like a rabbit caught in the headlights” while there were “deluded leadership contenders fighting like rats in a sack”, Mr McDonnell said. The Liberal Democrats called on the Financial Conduct Authority to launch an investigation into Lord Mandelson.

Source: The Times February 07, 2026 21:48 UTC