Home Office Minister Mike Tapp this said the prime minister continues to have "confidence in Mandelson" and his abilities as ambassador, adding the "disturbing" emails made him "shudder". Lord Mandelson is reported by Bloomberg to have told Epstein to "fight for early release" shortly before he was sentenced to 18 months in prison, and told him, "I think the world of you" the day before he began his sentence for soliciting prostitution from a minor in June 2008.
Wes Streeting has said that the next deputy leader of the Labour Party should ideally be a woman. Appearing on BBC Breakfast on Tuesday (9 September), the health secretary said that there are some brilliant women that are putting themselves forward in the race to replace Angela Rayner.
According to a timetable from Labour's national executive committee, MP nominations will open on Tuesday, with potential candidates having until 5pm on Thursday to gather 80 nominations, which is at least 20% of the parliamentary party. Nominations would be updated on a daily basis on the Labour party website for the duration of the MP nominations period, a statement said. Anyone who reaches this threshold must also receive nominations from at least 5% of constituency Labour parties, or about 30 in total, or at least three official party-affiliated bodies, of which at least two must be unions.
Norway's parliamentary elections take place on Monday with polls forecasting a close outcome. Latest polls predict a close result but give left-leaning parties, including Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre's Labour party, a narrow advantage. However, the overall result could hinge on whether smaller parties on the left, such as the Green (MDG) party, get enough of a vote share to reach the threshold (sperregrense) for parliamentary representation.
But there will not be an early election, Jones said. Asked about Reform UK leader Nigel Farage's suggestion that Rayner's resignation would open up internal Labour splits and prompt a general election as early as 2027, the chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster told Sky News: Nigel Farage is wrong there. The Labour party is not going to split and there won't be an early election.
Paul Nowak, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), urged the chancellor to stay the course on her plans to invest in the country, adding that the government should not be afraid of adopting a little bit of economic leftwing populism. Ahead of the TUC's annual gathering this weekend, he called Nigel Farage an absolute political opportunist who could be challenged by Labour demonstrating that it was genuinely on the side of working people, through better employment rights and a fairer tax system.
Opinions are divided in the Labour ­Party over the wisdom of endorsing presidential candidate Catherine Connolly so early, with some privately saying it reflects poorly on the judgment of leader Ivana Bacik. None of the objectors would go on the record, while a majority are explaining the party's position and making allowances for Ms Bacik's stance, saying it is the result of democratic choice.
Robert Jenrick was pictured at an anti-asylum rally in Essex attended by a veteran far-right activist. Police have reported violence against officers and vandalism during the protest.