SIR KEIR STARMER is clinging onto power by a thread as speculation he could face the chop rose amid the mounting scandal over Peter Mandelson.

The prime minister was forced to apologise today to the victims of the late paedophile and financier Jeffrey Epstein for appointing Mandelson ambassador to the US.

In his apology, he again admitted that he was aware Mandelson continued his friendship with Mr Epstein after he was jailed for child sex crimes.

Despite insisting this would not mean the end of his premiership, Sir Keir was hit with some of the fiercest criticism since his election.

He claimed, however, that no-one in his cabinet “knew the depth and darkness” of Mandelson’s relationship with the infamous human trafficker.

But MPs said Sir Keir’s handling of this latest scandal has become the biggest threat to his leadership since he was elected to No10.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called for a “a full, independent public inquiry so we can ensure justice for the victims of Epstein’s vile network of abuse — and expose the shameful corruption in our rotten political system.”

Labour MP Paula Barker said she was “sickened” by Sir Keir’s admission that he knew about Mandelson’s friendship with Epstein when he made the appointment.

This latest scandal raised fresh concerns over his political judgement and that of the person commonly understood as the architect of the Starmer project, Morgan McSweeney.

His chief of staff Mr McSweeney did in fact promote Mandelson’s bid for the ambassador role and pushed back against the prime minister when he finally decided to sack him in 2024.

But Mr Starmer confirmed today following calls to dismiss his chief of staff that he had “full confidence” in him as he was forced to respond to the crisis during a press conference on regional development in East Sussex.

The Prime Minister told victims of Mr Epstein: “I am sorry for what was done to you, sorry so many people in power failed you, sorry for believing Mandelson’s lies and appointing him.

“The victims of Epstein have lived with trauma that most of us could barely comprehend, and they have to relive it again and again.

“They have seen accountability delayed and too often denied to them.”

He added: “I was lied to, I was lied to. Deceit,” he said.

But his statements were immediately met with condemnation from members of his own party.

Socialist Campaign Group of MPs secretary Richard Burgon called on the government to stop claiming they did not know about the close relationship between the former ambassador and the late financier, which was reported in the British press back in 2023.

Following recent statements from Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Housing Secretary Steve Reed, he posted: “No minister, not Wes Streeting yesterday nor Steve Reed today, should be giving the impression that Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein — even after his jailing — wasn’t known before Mandelson became ambassador.”

Tory Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called for a vote of no confidence in Starmer. She claimed his premiership was “untenable” and that it is a question of “when, not if, he goes.”

Labour MP Karl Turner said Sir Keir was in a “crisis,” telling Times Radio that the mood among others in the party was the angriest he had seen in his 16 years in the Commons.

The Liberal Democrats have also called for a vote of no confidence.

The prime minister was forced to backtrack on the release of files relating to Mandelson’s appointment to the US ambassadorship.

Initially telling MPs that they would be held back if they compromised national security, he ducked a defeat in Commons by accepting that the files be examined by the cross-party intelligence and security committee.

Earlier this week, the Met Police launched a criminal investigation into Mandelson after fresh disclosures from the Epstein files.

Disgraced royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, also prominent in the Epstein files, also caused a revolt among royal servants at Sandringham, who were then told they don’t have to work for him if it makes them feel uncomfortable.