Welcome to an exclusive Ask Me Anything session with me, John Rentoul, chief political commentator at The Independent.
To see my questions and answers, scroll down. Make sure to press the “load more” button to read the full Q&A.
It has been a bruising week for Keir Starmer. What began as a row over the vetting of Peter Mandelson has spiralled into something more destabilising – a test of authority, discipline and political survival.
The prime minister has sought to bat away the controversy by focusing on process – leaning on the evidence of Olly Robbins and insisting he was not told about the “red flags” against Lord Mandelson’s name. But in doing so, he has opened himself up to a different charge: that he is arguing like a lawyer while the political case against him is unanswerable.
At the same time, questions are growing louder within Labour itself. Restless backbenchers, a fracturing cabinet and the looming prospect of further scrutiny of senior figures such as Morgan McSweeney all point to a government under sustained internal pressure.
Across the Commons, Kemi Badenoch has opted for a more forensic approach – probing the detail, building a case and, perhaps, playing a longer game as she looks to shape the political narrative and her own standing.
So what is the real mood inside Westminster right now? How precarious is Starmer’s position – and what might happen next if the pressure intensifies? Are there credible successors waiting in the wings, or is the lack of an obvious alternative still his greatest protection? And how does this saga affect Badenoch’s stock as an opposition leader?
Join me below today (Friday 24 April) between 11am and 12pm BST for the Q&A.
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