Keir Starmer faces mounting Labour unrest today amid a bitter blame game over Lord Mandelson's humiliating exit.
Fingers are being pointed at the PM and his chief aide Morgan McSweeney over the disastrous appointment of the peer as US ambassador.
The New Labour architect was dramatically sacked yesterday after the emergence of a tranche of extraordinary emails to notorious paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, describing him as his 'best pal'.
However, many MPs are still furious at Sir Keir for picking Lord Mandelson for the post in the first place. There are disputed claims that Mr McSweeney drove the appointment, and wanted to save the peer even after the latest email revelations.
Sir Keir's former chief of staff Sue Gray is also said to have drawn up an initial short list for the Washington job that did not include Lord Mandelson.
