UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his censorious chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, are on the ropes after shocking revelations from the Epstein emails have struck at the heart of government.
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THE
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This page is an archive of main headlines from the UK for 05.02.2026.
It displays 121 headlines from many sources chronologically, as they appeared throughout the day, accompanied by AI overviews that were written in real time.
05.02.2026 ⇢ The Day Starmer Apologised for Mandelson
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Morning headlines were dominated by the fallout from a government climbdown, as Keir Starmer faced an internal Labour revolt over the refusal to release the Mandelson-Epstein files. Editors across the spectrum framed the Prime Minister’s authority as collapsing, with right-leaning outlets reporting his premiership was in its 'death throes' and highlighting Deputy PM Angela Rayner’s role in the mutiny. By midday, the narrative shifted to a formal news conference where Starmer issued a public apology to Epstein’s victims. He admitted to being deceived by Lord Mandelson regarding the 'depth and darkness' of his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, while simultaneously attempting to deflect blame onto security services for vetting failures. Evening coverage focused on Starmer’s attempts to cling to power despite calls for the dismissal of his Chief of Staff, Morgan McSweeney. The day’s political tension was briefly punctuated by reports of Donald Trump’s unexpected endorsement of the Chagos Islands deal.
05.02.2026
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01:11
The justice department says its review of the files is over, but the story is again proving to have a life of its own.
01:11
01:42
The justice department says its review of the files is over, but the story is again proving to have a life of its own.
01:42
02:57
MPs say release of papers on Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador could trigger leadership challenge
02:57
02:58⇢The Starmer Premiership in Peril
⌨British editors are signaling a collapse of Keir Starmer’s authority as internal Labour dissent reaches a breaking point. Outlets across the spectrum report a forced climbdown over the release of the Mandelson-Epstein files (The Independent, Sky News, Metro), with the Daily Mail and The Telegraph highlighting Deputy PM Angela Rayner's decisive role in the revolt. Conservative sources frame the scandal as the end of Starmer's premiership (The Economist, Breitbart).
03:54
PM Starmer is forced to back down over a plan to withhold some documents about the ex-minister's appointment as US ambassador.
03:54
05:52
BBC
Anger among Labour MPs grows over Starmer's handling of Mandelson scandal
A Labour MP tells the BBC the prime minister should have admitted a "mistake of judgement" over appointing the peer ambassador to the US.
05:52
06:33
BBC
Anger among Labour MPs grows over Starmer's handling of Mandelson-Epstein scandal
A Labour MP tells the BBC the prime minister should have admitted a "mistake of judgement" over appointing the peer ambassador to the US.
06:33
06:39
Exclusive: David O’Sullivan says war-based economy may be nearing point of becoming ‘unsustainable’
06:39
06:39
“PMQs made things so much worse,” one backbencher said.
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07:19
BBC
Anger among Labour MPs grows over Starmer's handling of Mandelson scandal
A Labour MP tells the BBC the prime minister should have admitted a "mistake of judgement" over appointing the peer ambassador to the US.
07:19
07:25
Wednesday's call comes in the wake of a flurry of visits by Western leaders to China in recent months.
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UK | Barney Davis
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The Telegraph
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08:52⇢Starmer On The Ropes
⌨British editors are focusing on the precarious state of Keir Starmer’s leadership following a humiliating U-turn on the Mandelson-Epstein files (The Independent, Sky News). While left-leaning and centrist outlets highlight internal Labour rebellions and ministerial defenses of the Chief of Staff (New Statesman, Evening Standard, Sky News), right-leaning titles describe the Prime Minister as 'on the ropes' or facing 'political death' (The Telegraph, Breitbart, HuffPost UK).
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The Telegraph
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Live | Live
10:45
10:52
BBC
Starmer due to speak as anger grows among Labour MPs over Mandelson-Epstein scandal
The prime minister told Parliament he was aware of Mandelson's ongoing friendship with the late sex offender when he was appointed as US ambassador.
10:52
10:52
US special envoy Steve Witkoff said that the countries agreed to exchange 314 prisoners, with talks to continue in coming weeks
10:52
10:52
Pedro Sánchez’s illegal-migrant amnesty will be Merkel 2.0.
10:52
11:07
BBC
Starmer about to speak as anger grows among Labour MPs over Mandelson-Epstein scandal
The prime minister told Parliament he was aware of Mandelson's ongoing friendship with the late sex offender when he was appointed as US ambassador.
11:07
11:07
Live | Live
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11:14
BBC
Starmer speaking as anger grows among Labour MPs over Mandelson-Epstein scandal
The prime minister told Parliament he was aware of Mandelson's ongoing friendship with the late sex offender when he was appointed as US ambassador.
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11:14
11:14
11:14
Live | Live
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11:22
BBC
Starmer says he is 'sorry for having believed Mandelson's lies' as anger grows over appointment
"No-one is above accountability," Starmer says, after facing anger from his own MPs over his handling of Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador.
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11:23
11:24⇢Starmer's Shaking Scepter
⌨British editors are now documenting a potential collapse of Keir Starmer's government as the Prime Minister admits to believing Lord Mandelson's lies (BBC News, The Mirror). Right-leaning outlets report a cabinet mutiny led by Angela Rayner and calls for the dismissal of Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney (Daily Mail, The Telegraph, Breitbart). Meanwhile, broadsheets note a prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia following US-mediated talks (The Guardian).
11:30
BBC
Starmer 'sorry for having believed Mandelson's lies' on Epstein as anger grows over appointment
Addressing Epstein’s victims, the prime minister says he’s sorry for appointing Peter Mandelson as US ambassador.
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11:39
BBC
UK PM says he is 'sorry for having believed Mandelson's lies' as anger grows over appointment
Addressing Epstein’s victims, the prime minister says he’s sorry for appointing Peter Mandelson as US ambassador in 2024.
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11:39
11:39
HuffPost UK
11:39
11:39
Politics | Craig Munro
11:39
11:54
BBC
UK PM 'sorry for having believed Mandelson's lies' on Epstein as anger grows over appointment
Addressing Epstein’s victims, the prime minister says he’s sorry for appointing Peter Mandelson as US ambassador in 2024.
11:54
12:02
Breaking | Live | Breaking | Live
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12:02
The clearing of the Palestine Action activists gives a greenlight to Israelophobic mania.
12:02
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12:02
What is the point of the prime minister?
12:02
12:09
Breaking | Live | Breaking | Live
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12:37
BBC
UK PM apologises to Epstein victims for appointing Mandelson and 'believing his lies'
The prime minister says he understands the "anger and frustration" of Labour MPs over his decision to pick Mandelson as Washington ambassador.
12:37
12:38
The Telegraph
12:38
12:40⇢The Prime Minister's Bitter Penance
⌨The British media has shifted focus to Keir Starmer's formal apology for appointing Lord Mandelson, with editors highlighting his admission of being deceived regarding the 'depth and darkness' of Mandelson's ties to Jeffrey Epstein (BBC News, The Times, Daily Mail). Right-leaning and centrist outlets are now questioning the Prime Minister's future, framing the scandal as a threat to his survival (The Economist, Sky News, Breitbart).
12:44
BBC
UK PM says he is 'sorry for having believed Mandelson's lies' as anger grows over appointment
Addressing Epstein’s victims, the prime minister says he’s sorry for appointing Peter Mandelson as US ambassador in 2024.
12:44
12:51
BBC
UK PM apologises to Epstein victims for appointing Mandelson and 'believing his lies'
The prime minister says he understands the "anger and frustration" of Labour MPs over his decision to pick Mandelson as Washington ambassador.
12:51
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Breaking | Live | Breaking | Live
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The Guardian
US special envoy Steve Witkoff earlier announced that the US, Ukraine and Russia had agreed to exchange 314 prisoners
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Breaking | Live | Breaking | Live
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The Guardian
US special envoy Steve Witkoff earlier announced that the US, Ukraine and Russia had agreed to exchange 314 prisoners
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Meetings are most significant contact between Kyiv and Moscow in months and prisoner exchange is agreed
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14:39
Breitbart UK
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer apologised to the public over Lord Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein but also issued a veiled threat to his political faction to stand behind him or risk a Nigel Farage government.
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14:46
World | Barney Davis
14:46
14:48⇢Starmer's Penance for the Mandelson Lies
⌨British editors focus on Keir Starmer's public apology for appointing Lord Mandelson, acknowledging he was deceived by lies regarding Mandelson's ties to Jeffrey Epstein (BBC News, Sky News, The Times, The Independent). While right-leaning titles highlight Starmer's attempt to shift blame onto security services for vetting failures (The Telegraph, Daily Mail), centrist and left-leaning outlets emphasize the growing internal Labour rebellion and questions over the Prime Minister's survival (New Statesman, The Economist, HuffPost UK).
15:06
Starmer’s Svengali clearly isn’t the great political genius he has been made out to be.
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15:14
The Spectator
15:14
15:41
Founder’s extraordinary intervention has laid bare rising tensions between European governments and tech firms
15:41
15:48
Hundreds of Washington Post journalists have been laid off as the paper faces ongoing financial losses and a major restructuring.
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16:03
UK | Sarah Hooper
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Donald Trump’s former adviser told Epstein in 2019 that he was ‘focused on raising money for Le Pen and Salvini’ before European elections
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The Guardian
Exclusive: Luxury aircraft owned by property tycoon close to US president’s family has twice flown Palestinian men from Arizona to Tel Aviv
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HuffPost UK
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Morning Star
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Breaking | Live | Breaking | Live
18:18
18:19⇢Starmer Clings to a Thread
⌨British editors remain focused on Keir Starmer's escalating leadership crisis following his apology for the Lord Mandelson appointment (BBC News, The Times, The Independent). While centrist outlets document internal Labour dissent and questions over the Prime Minister's survival (New Statesman, The Economist, Morning Star), right-leaning sources emphasize the failure of his inner circle, specifically Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney (Spiked, Breitbart). New developments include Donald Trump's unexpected endorsement of Starmer's Chagos Islands deal (Sky News).
18:26
The taint of the disgraced financier will endure
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18:32
Labour MPs are openly rebelling against the Prime Minister
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18:47
The Spectator
18:47
18:54
The PM says the depth of the pair's relationship was not known when he was appointed US ambassador.
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The Spectator
19:01
19:16
Keir Starmer says the depth of the pair's relationship was not known when Mandelson was appointed US ambassador.
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19:29
Showbiz | Brooke Ivey Johnson
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20:10
The Prime Minister ditched his planned speech to issue a lengthy apology in an attempt to diffuse fury among his own MPs about Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US Ambassador.
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20:25⇢The Prime Minister's Public Penance
⌨British editors are focusing on Keir Starmer's public apology for believing Peter Mandelson's 'lies' regarding Jeffrey Epstein (BBC News, Channel 4 News, The Times). While the Prime Minister attempts to quell an internal Labour rebellion (New Statesman, Breitbart), right-wing outlets analyze evidence they claim contradicts his defense (The Telegraph, Spiked). Separately, media across the spectrum report Donald Trump's unexpected endorsement of the Chagos Islands deal (The Independent, Sky News).
21:03
21:15
The Guardian
Exclusive: Luxury aircraft owned by property tycoon close to US president’s family has twice flown Palestinian men from Arizona to Tel Aviv
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22:04
Marie Kawthar Daouda on how obsessing over race entraps and divides us.
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The Telegraph
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23:13
Amid warnings McSweeney’s survival would leave his position ‘untenable’, PM apologises to Epstein’s victims for appointing Mandelson as US ambassador
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