Former Conservative adviser Oscar Reddrop has delivered a damning verdict of the Labour Government following Peter Mandelson’s dismissal as US ambassador, declaring the party “effectively over” and predicting someone will need to become “a sacrificial lamb” within No10.

Speaking about the latest crisis to engulf Keir Starmer’s administration, Mr Reddrop suggested the Prime Minister faces mounting pressure from all directions after Lord Mandelson’s sacking over newly discovered emails concerning his relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Mr Reddrop told GB News: “Because this was already known, why was he chosen? It’s interesting that allies of Mandelson, quoted in The Times, have said it was made clear and widely understood. That suggests the chances of Mandelson going quietly are slim.

“I don’t think he’s happy with Keir Starmer and it seems the people around Mandelson aren’t happy either.

“Clearly, there were those unhappy with his appointment in the first place, and now Starmer is being hit from all sides.

“At this point, I imagine there will have to be a sacrificial lamb in No10.

“People are already pointing to Morgan McSweeney as a key figure pushing Mandelson into that role, which overrode Baroness Gray when she was chief of staff. And when you think back, it feels like a lifetime ago.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• UK economic growth FLATLINES in hammer blow to Labour’s core manifesto pledge
• Suella Braverman pays tribute to ‘true patriot’ Charlie Kirk and warns of rising political violence
• ‘Good riddance’: Richard Tice skewers Lord Mandelson

“We’ve seen Sue Gray go, Louise Haigh leave her post as Transport Secretary, Angela Rayner step down, all the Lord Alli controversy and now the Mandelson saga on top of it.

“I don’t want to overcook it, but whichever way you look at this, the next time Starmer appears on camera it’s going to be deeply uncomfortable for him.

“The pressure from MPs is only going to intensify.

“The first year of this Starmer Labour government this whole early iteration is effectively over.”

Peter Mandelson’s tenure as Britain’s ambassador to Washington ended abruptly when the Foreign Office terminated his appointment, marking his third dismissal from a Government position throughout his political career.

The Foreign Office cited newly discovered emails containing “additional information” that demonstrated his connection to Jeffrey Epstein differed substantially from what was understood when he received the posting.

According to BBC sources, Mr Mandelson challenges the Foreign Office’s interpretation that the correspondence indicated he believed Epstein’s conviction was unjust, maintaining instead that he merely questioned the sentence duration.

The Prime Minister described the email contents as “reprehensible”, whilst Downing Street distanced itself from the appointment process, stating it had no involvement in the security screening procedures before Mr Mandelson assumed the diplomatic role.

Lord Mandelson’s friendship with Epstein had been known about, but Bloomberg and The Sun published emails showing that the relationship continued after his crimes had emerged.

One cabinet minister told The Times: “It was obvious from the start that he [Mandelson] was the wrong choices…It was just a matter of time. It’s so damaging.”