THE first trade union leader has called for Keir Starmer to quit over the Peter Mandelson scandal.
The Prime Minister has come under increasing pressure to resign over his party's handling of the appointment of Mandelson as US ambassador, despite knowledge of his relationship with the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Mandelson is currently under criminal investigation over allegations there were leaks from Downing Street to Epstein during the financial crisis.
And on Saturday, it emerged the UK Government had given Mandelson a five-figure pay-out after being sacked as ambassador despite his links with the paedophile financier.
Speaking on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) general secretary Steve Wright called for Starmer to go.
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The FBU, which is affiliated to the Labour Party, is believed to be the first trade union to call for the Prime Minister's resignation.
Wright said: “I think everybody’s thinking it, and people are just not saying it at the moment.
“And unfortunately we’re seeing MPs being wheeled out again today to sweep up the mess behind the Prime Minister at the moment.
“And it seems that the Prime Minister isn’t taking advice from elected people within his own Government. We’ve seen that he didn’t listen to the former deputy prime minister. He hasn’t listened to his current Deputy Prime Minister. He’s listening to a factional group which are making bad decisions, it seems.
“And I want to see the change that was promised and that this country needs.”
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Returning to the matter later in the programme, Kuenssberg pointed out that Health Secretary Wes Streeting and former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner are widely seen as the main contenders for Starmer's replacement.
When asked who he would like to see stand in a leadership contest, Wright declined to be drawn into speculation but added that "anyone that has any association with Peter Mandelson should be nowhere near government".
Kuenssberg then made reference to Streeting's past friendship with Mandelson.
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