Labour members say PM mishandled Mandelson saga, but split over need for new leadership

An overwhelming majority of Labour members think Keir Starmer has handled the Mandelson affair badly, according to exclusive polling for LabourList.

The poll, conducted by Survation, found that more than four in five members (83 percent) thought the Prime Minister had dealt with the saga poorly, compared with just 14 percent who said Starmer dealt with the affair well.

However, despite this almost two thirds (61 percent) do not think that the Prime Minister should resign over the scandal, while 29 percent believe Starmer should quit over the scandal.

While more than half of members (51 percent) who backed Lucy Powell think the PM should not resign over the scandal, that number rises to 80 percent amongst those who supported Bridget Phillipson.

Labour members split on leadership question

Members are almost evenly split on whether there should be a change of party leader, with 46 percent wanting new leadership of the Labour Party, while 44 percent think Starmer should remain in post. Some nine percent of members said they were unsure.

Among those who think there should be a change of leader, over half (57 percent) said that a leadership contest should take place after the local and devolved elections in May, while a further 23 percent said a new leader should be in place before the end of the year.

It comes after a number of Labour MPs have distanced themselves from the Prime Minister over his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as US ambassador, with some calling for Starmer to announce a timetable for his resignation.

‘Labour members feel deeply let down, but torn over what the response should be’

Emma Burnell, editor of LabourList, said: “Labour members clearly feel deeply let down over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador and the handling of the ensuing scandal that has engulfed the party and our leadership. However, much like the position the PLP have found themselves in, they are torn over what the response should be. 

“This polling is not unalloyed support either for or against a challenge. That nearly half the party wants to see a change of leader is not a good position for the PM to find himself in. Labour members tend to instinctive loyalty and so these numbers are stark for Starmer. 

“However, that nearly half don’t want to see him challenged should give those on manoeuvres pause for thought. It may be that events – and members minds – will change quickly after the May elections. But as it stands no one should pretend that any of this is simple or easy for the PM, the putative challengers or the membership.”

The poll is the latest in a series of regular polls LabourList is publishing in partnership with leading pollsters Survation, a member of the British Polling Council and a Market Research Society Partner.

Survation surveyed 1,190 readers of LabourList, the leading dedicated newsletter and news and comment website for Labour supporters, who also said they were Labour Party members between April 17 and 22.

Data was weighted to the profile of party members by age, sex, region, 2020 leadership vote and 2025 deputy leadership vote. Targets for weighting were drawn from the British Election Study and the results of the leadership and deputy elections.

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