Prime minister’s questions: a shouty, jeery, very occasionally useful advert for British politics. Here’s what you need to know from the latest session in POLITICO’s weekly run-through.

What they sparred about: Peter Mandelson’s suitability as Britain’s ambassador in Washington. In their last PMQs joust before the conference recess, Tory Leader Kemi Badenoch took Keir Starmer to task on Mandelson’s position, given the ambassador’s friendship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

If you were under a rock: A 2003 birthday note from Mandelson released Monday by U.S. lawmakers called Epstein his “best pal,” something the U.K. ambassador admitted was “very embarrassing to see and to read.” Mandelson admitted retaining links to Epstein even after Epstein’s indictment. He suggested more correspondence between the pair would be released.

Beyond the Commons walls: The scandal could hardly be more poorly timed. Starmer earlier condemned Moscow’s “unprecedented attack” on NATO member Poland and said the government would “ramp up the pressure on [Vladimir] Putin.”

The confidence trap: Putin’s actions, Badenoch stressed, meant an ambassador “fully focused on this issue” was required. So did the PM have “full confidence” in Mandelson? Starmer said he did, adding that Epstein was a “despicable criminal who committed the most heinous crimes.”

Keep your friends close: The Tory leader argued Starmer’s sympathy for the victims rang hollow, given some have already called for Mandelson to be sacked. She tried another angle, probing Starmer on whether he knew about their “intimate relationship” when choosing him for the plum diplomatic role.

By the book: Starmer’s lawyerly tone kicked in. “Full due process was followed” during the selection process, he argued — a non-answer which led Badenoch to imply “he probably did know” about the friendship. She flagged a Telegraph scoop suggesting Epstein brokered a deal with Mandelson while the latter was business secretary — and the financier only just out of prison.

Special relationship: The PM again skirted over specifics, instead reinforcing the close relationship between the two nations and backing Mandelson. “That is a disgrace,” Badenoch argued, asking whether docs on Mandelson’s vetting for the Washington job would be published. Starmer donned his lawyer wig once more, saying that was “subject to the usual procedure.” What that was remains anyone’s guess.

Judgment day: “He’s talking about process. This is not about process,” Badenoch cried, “this is about judgment.” When Starmer last gave backing to one of his team — ex-Deputy PM Angela Rayner — she subsequently resigned, Badenoch pointed out. Starmer just said Mandelson was core to diplomatic efforts.

Giving both barrels: That was labeled a “load of waffle and whataboutery” by Badenoch, calling Mandelson “mired in scandal [and] not focusing on NATO.” Throwing in the reshuffle and tube strikes, the Tory leader said the link was the PM’s “bad decisions, his bad judgments and his total weakness.”

I wouldn’t open with it: Starmer joked that a Tory “leadership contest has been going on months” (which somewhat rings true) and said the government was “putting out the fires” left by the Tories. This new material here is really something else.

Helpful backbench intervention of the week: Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy MP Melanie Ward praised Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ investment in her constituency and ripped into the SNP and Tory governments, asking the PM if investment was key to his administration. What a shocker — Starmer approved millions in funding for Kirkcaldy. That’s at least one backbencher happy.

Totally unscientific scores on the doors: Starmer 5/10. Badenoch 8/10. The Tory leader learned from her poor performance last week by relentlessly focusing on one topic — Mandelson and his choice of friends. His recent Sun interview, revelations in this morning’s papers and geopolitical turmoil handed Badenoch plenty of options. Starmer, while stressing his confidence in Mandelson, was often stuck delivering procedural answers. A clear win for the leader of the opposition.