Independent MP Karl Turner has said Sir Keir Starmer’s position is “becoming untenable”.
Speaking on GB News, Turner said: “What’s happened is, if it was a stunt by the opposition, it was a stunt with a trick. And the trick was to get Labour MPs to clamber into the lobby and vote to cover up what is essentially an accusation that the Prime Minister misled parliament.
“I don’t think he did deliberately lie. I’ve said that in the chamber today. But what I do think is there was a prima facie case for the Prime Minister to face the Privileges Committee, for them to ask questions and he ought not to be worried.
“You just mentioned in your lead up the suspension for me. I was suspended, plain and simple, for opposing the government on the ludicrous idea of curtailing jury trials. I think it’s barmy. That’s the reality of it.
“But this wasn’t a single judge trial, which is what the Prime Minister tells us he wants to bring into England and Wales. This was a jury of cross-party MPs, the majority of which were Labour MPs.
“It was daft for the Prime Minister to avoid that scrutiny. He should have referred himself to the committee and wouldn’t be in this mess now.
“The argument from the whips, I think, they’ve not spoken to me because they just ignore me nowadays. But the argument the whips are putting about is that this inquiry would last for months. I don’t agree with that.
“There have been a couple of evidence sessions. It could have been in camera. The procedure of the House allows it to be in private if, in fact, there’s anything in there which might be a problem in terms of the national security.
“It could have been done swiftly. This argument that it was going to last forever is a nonsense and the reality is we are now accused, or those of us who didn’t vote with the opposition and the motion for that scrutiny, those people are now going to be accused by our opponents of trying to cover up for the prime minister. And I think that is an absolute disgrace.
“I think it was in the public domain that Mandelson had maintained a relationship with Jeffrey Epstein post his conviction. I think what Mandelson was saying at the time was that he was persuaded by lawyers of Epstein that he’d done some sort of a plea bargain and that he was not really culpable for the offences that he was alleged to have committed. I think that was the argument that was put forward.
“Well, the fact that I know about the situation tells me that the Prime Minister must have known. There are advisers all over the place in Downing Street. I knew about those things, there’s no reason why the Prime Minister shouldn’t have known.
“I’m not saying the PM should step down as leader and Prime Minister. I think the country is fed up of the shenanigans of Prime Ministers having to go every five minutes, but I accept that the Prime Minister’s position is becoming untenable now; that’s the problem we’re in.
“And look, the real situation is this: you look around the parliamentary Labour Party, there’s nobody there to sort of step up and say, I’ll do the job. And that’s what’s keeping Keir Starmer in the position as we speak, I think.
“I was in the Prime Minister’s private quarters in Downing Street not so many months ago. I met his missus. She’s a very nice woman and I think, frankly, they have a very strong bond.
“I know Keir Starmer well, he was a friend, I hope he still is a friend of mine, I criticise him on policy, but I don’t think we’ve fallen out on a personal level. And I think she’s very supportive of him, that’s the truth of it, and I suspect she is encouraging him to stay on if that’s what he wants to do.
“But the reality is, we’ve got the elections coming up in not so many days from now, and the proof will be in the pudding. In other words, let’s see how many council seats we lose.
“How well will we do in Scotland and Wales? That’s the test, I think, from the PM now. It didn’t need to be like this, but I’m afraid to tell you we’re getting into the scenario whereby his days are numbered, and that’s just the truth.
“I’m not happy about it, but it just happens to be a political fact.”