London: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has managed to fend off an immediate leadership challenge after a turbulent political week triggered by indirect fallout from newly released Jeffrey Epstein files. While rivals within the Labour Party briefly weighed a coup, hesitation and fears of deeper instability ultimately helped Starmer cling on — at least for now.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said Labour MPs had paused after considering the consequences of internal rebellion.

“Labour lawmakers had ‘looked over the precipice … and they didn’t like what they saw,’” Miliband told the BBC.

“And they thought the right thing was to unite behind Keir.”

Starmer’s authority has nonetheless taken a major hit following renewed scrutiny over his 2024 decision to appoint senior Labour figure Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington. Mandelson, a longtime political heavyweight, was known to have links with Epstein — a factor that has fuelled criticism of Starmer’s judgment, despite the prime minister never having met the disgraced financier.

Starmer has apologised for the appointment, saying Mandelson misled him about the extent of his association with Epstein. He also dismissed Mandelson after emails emerged showing the relationship continued even after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for sex offences involving a minor.

“I will never walk away from the mandate I was given to change this country,” Starmer said on Tuesday.

“I will never walk away from the people that I’m charged with fighting for and I will never walk away from the country that I love,” he added.

Fresh pressure mounted last month when a new batch of Epstein-related files released by the US government prompted a police investigation into Mandelson over possible misconduct in public office. Mandelson has not been accused of any sexual offences.

The controversy has intensified existing frustrations within Labour, despite the party’s landslide election victory 19 months ago. While Starmer has earned praise for rallying international backing for Ukraine and securing a trade deal with US President Donald Trump, domestic challenges remain acute. Inflation, weak growth and the cost-of-living crisis continue to weigh heavily on public confidence.

Internally, the government has been rocked by resignations and reversals. Starmer has already cycled through two chiefs of staff and multiple communications heads. His powerful chief of staff Morgan McSweeney resigned over the Mandelson decision, followed by communications director Tim Allan a day later.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar openly called for Starmer’s resignation earlier this week, but senior figures stopped short of joining him. Instead, cabinet ministers and MPs issued coordinated messages of support, including Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting — both widely viewed as potential successors.

After a tense meeting with Labour MPs, Starmer appeared to steady the mood.

“It was clear he was up for the fight,” said Labour MP Chris Curtis.

However, concerns persist over Labour’s weak polling numbers and looming electoral tests, including a February by-election and May elections across Scotland, Wales and England.

Professor Tim Bale of Queen Mary University of London said Starmer had merely gained breathing space.

“He had ‘bought himself some time’,” Bale said, adding it was “very difficult to imagine” Starmer surviving long-term if Labour suffers heavy losses in upcoming elections.

Still, British politics is rarely predictable. As Bale put it, parties sometimes choose “better the devil you know.”

AP