Question of what Starmer knew is not going to go awaypublished at 11:19 British Summer Time

11:19 BST

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent

The explanation being given by the government for Mandelson’s sacking is that there was new information in the emails released between him and Jeffrey Epstein yesterday.

Crucially, this new information was “materially different” from what was known at the time of his appointment.

I have already heard from several people within Labour who anticipate that pressure will build on the government to release documents associated with the vetting process in order for the government to prove that that is indeed the case.

Mandelson’s past relationship with Epstein was a matter of public record for some time before his appointment.

What exactly did Starmer know, or not know, beyond that which was in the public domain? That question is not going to go away.

Image source, Reuters

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has weighed in on Mandelson's withdrawal.

On X, she writes: "Mandelson might have gone but, just as with Angela Rayner, Starmer dithered when he needed to be decisive.

"Time and again he puts party above country. He has no backbone and no convictions. There are now serious questions over what Starmer knew and when. We deserve to know."

Yesterday at PMQs, Badenoch grilled Starmer about what he knew about Mandelson's relationship with Epstein. The PM repeatedly said that due process was followed in the appointment, but did not elaborate further.

Performance in the job has never been Mandelson's downfall - yet again it's something elsepublished at 11:13 British Summer Time

11:13 BST

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent

An extraordinary end to an extraordinary career in public life. And this time, yes, surely it is the end.

The "third man" with Tony Blair and Gordon Brown in the creation of New Labour, Mandelson resigned from Blair's cabinet twice, spent four years in Brussels as Britain’s European Commissioner, and in the final stretch of Brown’s premiership he was essentially the deputy prime minister.

He has generally been seen to have done a very good job in those roles, just as - by common consensus in Whitehall and Washington - he had performed very well as ambassador.

But performance in the job has never been Mandelson’s problem.

And yet again it is something else which has brought him down.

Ahead of an urgent question to the Foreign Office in the commons this morning, Foreign Office Minister of State Stephen Doughty announced that the government had withdrawn Mandelson as ambassador to the US.

Watch below to see Doughty's statement.

This is extraordinarypublished at 11:01 British Summer Time

11:01 BST

Chris Mason
Political editor

The current attrition rate of senior figures in government this autumn is running at one per week.

Last week, the Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner resigns - knowing she would be sacked if she didn’t.

This week Lord Mandelson is sacked as the UK’s ambassador to the United States.

And we are only 10 days into the new political season.

Extraordinary.

Nick Eardley
Political correspondent

The pressure on the prime minister had been growing since PMQs yesterday.

Labour MPs I spoke to thought it was inevitable Mandelson would have to go. Some broke cover to say that on the record.

The government has said it was in response to new information.But there is also real concern among Labour MPs about how No 10 is dealing with crises.

Parliament has been back for a week - and in that time the PM has defended Angela Rayner and Peter Mandelson in the commons, only for both to then leave their jobs within days.

It was quite a flurry of breaking news there.

We were expecting Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper in the chamber to take an urgent question on the processes taken when Peter Mandelson was appointed the UK's ambassador to the US.

Instead, Foreign Office minster Stephen Doughty has stood in her place for the questioning. At the same time as the questions began, we received word from the Foreign Office that Mandelson was being withdrawn as ambassador.

We are following along and will keep you updated with key lines as they come through from Parliament - stick with us.

Here's the statement in full, issued by the Foreign Office:

"In light of the additional information in emails written by Peter Mandelson, the Prime Minister has asked the Foreign Secretary to withdraw him as Ambassador.

"The emails show that the depth and extent of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is materially different from that known at the time of his appointment.

"In particular Peter Mandelson’s suggestion that Jeffrey Epstein’s first conviction was wrongful and should be challenged is new information. In light of that, and mindful of the victims of Epstein’s crimes he has been withdrawn as Ambassador with immediate effect."

The prime minister has asked the foreign secretary to withdraw Peter Mandelson as ambassador.

We'll bring you more on this in the next few moments.

Image source, PA Media

While we wait for Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper to take her seat in the Commons, let us remind you of what PM Keir Starmer said on this during PMQs yesterday.

Asked by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch how Peter Mandelson came to be appointed as US ambassador - and what he knew, and when - Starmer told the House: "A full due process was followed during this appointment, as it is with all ambassadors."

This came after Lib Dem leader Ed Davey asked Starmer if he was aware of the full extent of "compromising material" the White House may have on Mandelson.

Starmer also reiterated that he has "full confidence" in Mandelson, who was "repeatedly expressed deep regret" and is now "playing an important part in the US-UK relationship".

Jaws drop in Westminster, but No 10 insists due process was followedpublished at 10:41 British Summer Time

10:41 BST

Chris Mason
Political editor

This time last week, there was a drip, drip of revelations about the then-deputy prime minister and calls for her resignation.

Fast forward seven days, and there is a drip, drip of revelations about the UK's ambassador to the United States and calls for his resignation.

A cabinet minister's jaw drops when I tell them about the story.

For those who have kicked around at Westminster for a while, there is something familiar about it too.

Peter Mandelson twice lost his job in the cabinet two decades ago over his dealings with rich men.

Mandelson's friendship with the late Epstein has long been publicly known, so the key political questions are actually for the prime minister, in choosing to appoint him.

Downing Street is not currently providing straight answers when we ask whether these most recent revelations are a surprise to them and whether they know what may be still to come.

They insist "due process" was followed before Mandelson's appointment.

It would appear that either Downing Street was insufficiently curious or sceptical about the extent of Lord Mandelson's friendship with Epstein before giving him the job, or calculated that he would be so good in the role it would be worth soaking up any embarrassment the connection might cause them.

Or perhaps they hoped the embarrassing stuff would never come out.

• Read more here about the dramatic revelations

In some cases, situations may arise that MPs feel require an immediate response from the government.

In these instances, they can apply to ask an urgent question.

MPs make applications to ask these questions to the Speaker of the House of Commons in the morning. If the Speaker's office agrees that the matter is urgent, the MP can raise their issue in the chamber.

The relevant minister - in this case Yvette Cooper, in her new role as foreign secretary - must then attend the Chamber to address the issue and take questions from MPs.

Image source, PA Media

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has been called to the House of Commons to answer an urgent question over Lord Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador.

Tory MP Neil O'Brien announced he would be asking the question in Parliament, adding "Starmer gave no answers yesterday [at PMQs], let's try again".

It all comes as the prime minister faces pressure over Mandelson's appointment after the emergence of fresh revelations about Mandelson's links to the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

In an interview with Harry Cole Saves the West, external, Lord Mandelson suggested further "embarrassing" exchanges would emerge. The Sun newspaper has reported he allegedly sent supportive messages to Epstein while he was facing charges in 2008.

Lord Mandelson told the BBC: "I relied on assurances of his innocence that turned out later to be horrendously false."

We'll bring you the latest from the House of Commons, and you can watch the urgent question exchange live at the top of our page.