URGENT: Starmer Defends Mandelson Amid Epstein Email Scandal Revelation

BREAKING NEWS Sir Keir Starmer Defends Lord Mandelson Amid Epstein Email Scandal Revelation Top officials at No 10 and the Foreign Office were aware of supportive emails between Lord Mandelson and paedophile Jeffrey Epstein when Prime Minister Rishi Sunak initially defended the former ambassador on Wednesday. The BBC understands that a media enquiry outlining details of the messages was sent to the Foreign Office on Tuesday, and passed on to No 10. Sir Oliver Robbins, permanent under-secretary at the Foreign Office, asked Lord Mandelson about the emails on Tuesday but did not receive a response until the next day. This revelation has sparked criticism from Labour MPs, with backbencher Olivia Blake calling No 10's handling of the situation "really embarrassing". The Prime Minister's initial defense of Lord Mandelson has been put under scrutiny as more information comes to light. The incident raises questions about transparency and communication within the government. Sir Keir Starmer was not aware of the contents of the emails when he stood by Lord Mandelson at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday. This is a developing story, with further updates expected in the coming hours. *This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available. Based on reporting from Bbc.*