Could the Mandelson Scandal bring Starmer down?
February 5, 2026
57 min
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Episode 252 · February 5, 2026
Could the Mandelson Scandal bring Starmer down?
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57:41This episodeCould the Mandelson Scandal bring Starmer down?
Summary
<p>In this episode we discuss details from the Epstein files, with references to sexual exploitation and some strong language.</p><br /><p>We begin this week with the growing political fallout from the Epstein files, following the release of thousands of emails by the US Department of Justice detailing Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. The revelations have prompted comparisons with the Profumo affair and raised serious questions about judgment, power, and trust at the heart of British politics. </p><br /><p>Ed Balls and George Osborne discuss their shock at the extent of the released emails , how it has reignited scrutiny of Keir Starmer’s decision-making, and whether this crisis could bring the Prime Minister down.</p><br /><p>Epstein’s connections with British elites goes beyond Westminster however. His well documented friendship with the former Prince, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, has once again put the Royal Family under pressure. How can King Charles deal with a scandal of this magnitude? And for others implicated in these files, like the Clintons and Donald Trump, what might follow?</p><br /><p>Overshadowed in the noise of the Epstein files was the long-awaited appointment of Jerome Powell’s successor as chair of the Federal Reserve, and it was announced last week that Kevin Warsh was Trump’s pick. Ed and George reflect on their personal interactions with Warsh. What kind of Central Banker will he be? How will he differ from Powell? And, how might he handle political pressure from Trump’s White House? </p><br /><p>We love hearing from you, so please don’t forget to send all your EMQs to questions@politicalcurrency and make sure to include a voice note of your question.</p><p> </p><p>Thanks for listening. To get episodes early and ad-free join Political Currency Gold or our Kitchen Cabinet. If you want even more perks, including our exclusive newsletter, join our Kitchen Cabinet today:</p><br /><p>👉 <a href="http://patreon.com/politicalcurrency" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">patreon.com/politicalcurrency</a></p><p>👉 <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ng/podcast/political-currency/id1706536336" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a></p><br /><p>Please note: Kitchen Cabinet is only available via Patreon.</p><br /><p>Credits:</p><br /><p>Research: Sam Burton</p><p>Production: Caillin McDaid & Caitlin Caitlin Hanrahan </p><p>Video Editor: Avi Asher</p><p>Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford</p><br /><p>Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.</p><hr /><p style="color: grey; font-size: 0.75em;"> Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: grey;" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>