Everyone's debating the Mandelson scandal. Reality: Starmer is Britain's first PM in years with actual integrity. Lose him now over a distraction, lose the country's best shot at fixing politics.

Sir Keir Starmer arrived in Downing Street in July 2024 with 412 seats over the Tories' paltry 121. The country's mood was clear: YouGov showed voters for both Labour and Lib Dems gave as their primary reason "a desire to get rid of the Tories."

This was democracy rectifying its mistakes.

The Tories had displayed a lamentable lack of integrity. Brexit bus lies. Dodgy PPE contracts for political cronies. Peerages rewarding party donors, including the son of a Kremlin crony. The disgrace of Partygate and the Prime Minister's compulsive lying. A sustained attack on the constitution and rule of law.

In 2024 the UK fell to its lowest ever level in the Global Corruption Index.

Most annoying to an exhausted electorate was the persistent Tory sanctimony. Senior officials conveyed a clear sense that rules were for "little people" and government merely an extension of social superiority they regarded as their birthright.

Images of Jacob Rees-Mogg slumped contemptuously across the House of Commons Front Bench demonstrated how little the Tories thought of the institution of government and the people they served.

Like him or loathe him, there can be no doubt that Sir Keir Starmer stands for integrity, decency, and commitment to service.

He is guilty of errors of judgement. He is disappointingly poorly advised. But in politics these days this is normal jogging. A replacement would be no different.

The Mandelson affair is now a dangerous distraction.

Jeffrey Epstein and others are the guilty parties, not the British Prime Minister. MPs should concentrate on making an example of Mandelson sufficient to deter future victims of the same arrogance and dishonesty. And pursuing justice for the young victims.

To deprive the country of the first Prime Minister in years equipped with a moral compass would be crass stupidity.

It would impede the all too healthy process demanded by the electorate in 2024. Labour MPs ignoring this message do so not solely at their peril, but also the peril of the country.

Is Starmer the integrity Britain's been waiting for, or just another distraction from fixing what the Tories broke?

Sources:

YouGov survey
https://yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/50658-why-did-britons-vote-the-way-they-did-in-2024
Prof Stephen Barber “Tory Downfall is democracy rectifying its own mistakes”
https://www.electionanalysis.uk/uk-election-analysis-2024/section-1-truth-lies-and-civic-culture/tory-downfall-is-democracy-rectifying-its-mistakes/