However, Starmer then attacked some of the materials on display at pro-Palestine demonstrations, adding: “You will often clearly see racist banners. Antisemitic hate. A fact that leaves a minority community in this country – scared and intimidated.
“A community, which let us not forget, suffered the most recent terrorist attack on these shores. How can that be right for a country with values like ours? How can it be right to turn a blind eye to racist hatred of any kind. Whether the victims are Jews, Muslims or any minority?”
The prime minister continued: “We do need to be much clearer as a society about what we expect of people and the responsibilities that come with rights”.
One practical measure he unveiled was granting the Charity Commission “much stronger powers” to “shut down charities that promote extremism”.
He also said that the government would introduce “tougher regulation of home schooling “because schools are so important for integration”.
However, the speech was overshadowed by the controversy around the appointment of Lord Mandelson as Ambassador to the United States, despite his friendship with paedophile and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, which he addressed in his opening remarks.
The prime minister claimed “none of us knew the depth and the darkness" of the relationship between Mandelson and Epstein.
In recent days, following the release of files in relation to Epstein by the US Justice Department, more evidence of their extensive communications over the years came to light.
Earlier this week, Mandelson resigned from the House of Lords after the files allegedly showed the New Labour grandee sending the paedophile confidential government information while he was a minister under Gordon Brown.
Since the latest allegations emerged, the Metropolitan Police said it had “launched an investigation into a 72-year-old man, a former government minister, for misconduct in public office offences”.
Starmer went on to claim he was misled by Mandelson, saying that he “had portrayed Epstein as someone he barely knew. And when that became clear and it was not true, I sacked him [as US Ambassador in September]”.
At Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Opposition Leader Kemi Badenoch blasted Starmer for his judgment in appointing Mandelson to the senior diplomatic posting, despite questions over his relationship with Epstein being in the public domain.
“The prime minister cannot blame the process. He did know. It was on Google. If the Conservative research department could find this information out, why couldn’t Number 10?” she asked.
“On 10 September, when we knew this, I asked the prime minister about it at the Dispatch Box, and he gave Mandelson his full confidence – not once but twice. He only sacked him after pressure from us”.
Following further questioning, Starmer admitted that he knew that Mandelson was officially questioned about his relationship with Epstein prior to his appointment, but that he “completely misrepresented the extent of his relationship with Epstein and lied throughout the process, including in response to the due diligence”, something Badenoch said was “shocking”.
“How can he stand up there saying that he knew, but that he just asked Peter Mandelson if the security vetting was true or false? This was a man who had been sacked from Cabinet twice already for unethical behaviour”, Badenoch added.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch speaks at a press conference in central London on February 5, 2026 (Getty Images)[Missing Credit]
In a speech today, the Conservative Party leader urged Labour MPs to vote against Starmer in a vote of no confidence.
“If they want the change they know the country needs, come and speak to my Whips and let's talk seriously about a vote of no confidence to force the moment. Keir Starmer’s position is clearly untenable, but it is for Labour MPs to decide when he goes because it is a question of when, not if he goes,” she said.
