Keir Starmer has confessed he was made aware of Peter Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with Jeffrey Epstein at the time he appointed him US ambassador, prompting Kemi Badenoch to brand the admission “shocking”.

The Prime Minister initially refused twice to say whether he was aware of the relationship, after simple questions from the Tory leader.

Ms Badenoch opened PMQs by asking: “The political decision to appoint Epstein’s close associate Peter Mandelson as ambassador in Washington goes to the very heart of this PM’s judgement. When he made that appointment, was he aware that Mandelson had continued his association even after Epstein’s conviction for child prostitution?”

Keir Starmer said Mr Mandelson had “lied repeatedly to my team when asked about his relationship with Epstein”, but it took two more attempts to get a straight answer from the Prime Minister.

Ms Badenoch blasted: “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 No. 10? I am asking the Prime Minister something very specific – not about the generalities of the full extent – can the PM tell us did the official security vetting he received mention Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein?”

Sir Keir eventually confessed: “Yes it did… as a result various questions were put to him. Time and time again Mandelson completely misrepresented the extent of his relationship with Epstein and lied throughout the process, including in the response to the due diligence.”

Ms Badenoch branded Sir Keir’s response “shocking”.

The Tory chief demanded to know why the Prime Minister believed Peter Mandelson, a man who already had a reputation for scandal and sleaze and who had been sacked twice for unethical behaviour.

She accused Keir Starmer of planning a cover-up of crucial documents set to be forcably published by the Tories later today.

The party is using an arcane parliamentary procedure known as a ‘humble address’ to compel the Government to publish information about Mandelson’s appointment.

However Sir Keir is pushing to amend the motion to allow him to redact crucial elements of the documents on national security and ‘international relations’ grounds.

Ms Badenoch warned Labour MPs that they now “have to decide if they want to be accessories to their cover-up”.

Demanding the Prime Minister clarify whether rebel Labour MPs siding with the Tories will lose the whip, Sir Keir hit back arguing publishing all the documents without redactions could threaten national security.

“To be clear, to vote to release something that could prejudice national security is wrong in principle. The second exemption is in relation to things that could prejudice national relations. There will be discussions about security and intelligence and trade, which are highly sensitive to the two countries involved and third countries.

“They have to ask themselves whether they want to vote to prejudice our national security. I don’t think in fairness that they do.

“Let me reassure the House that the process for deciding what falls into those categories will not be a political process, it will be decided by the Cabinet Secretary supported by government legal teams, so they will be looking at the question of prejudice.”

Sir Keir also said he’s in discussion with the Met Police about redacting any information that may prejudice their ongoing criminal investigation.

Ms Badenoch said the national security issue was “appointing Peter Mandelson in the first place”.

She pointed out that Humble Addresses already include provisions to allow the government a get-out of publishing anything that would prejudice national security. Branding the Prime Minister’s argument a “red herring”, she quipped: “This is not about national security, this is about his job security.”