Kemi Badenoch has demanded Sir Keir Starmer tell Parliament “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth” over the Lord Mandelson appointment scandal after the Prime Minister was accused of giving inaccurate information to MPs.
In a scathing letter to Sir Keir ahead of today’s Commons statement, the Tory leader said: “As an experienced barrister you will know the importance of telling the truth, but you will also know that many people think you have been at best recklessly negligent and at worst dishonest about this whole affair.”
Mrs Badenoch said Sir Keir had “failed to answer very simple questions about what you did and what you knew” in breach of his own Ministerial Code. She accused him of damaging relations with the United States, insulting victims of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, and undermining national security by appointing someone the security services found to be of “high concern”.
Mrs Badenoch said: “This has been a tawdry and shaming affair for you and your party, and for this country.” She demanded a “frank statement” where the Prime Minister takes “due responsibility” instead of “blaming everyone else”.
