'Starmer on the ropes' and 'Sobbin' Robbins spills the beans'
Most of Wednesday's papers lead with the furore over Lord Peter Mandelson's appointment as British ambassador to the US after he was found to have failed vetting for the role. Former senior official Sir Olly Robbins was sacked as Foreign Office boss last week after it emerged he had cleared Lord Mandelson to take up the role without telling Sir Keir Starmer about the security concerns. The Times says Sir Keir is "on the ropes" after Sir Olly made an "extraordinary" appearance in Parliament on Tuesday. Sir Olly said Downing St had exerted "constant pressure" on officials - including to approve Lord Mandelson - and now, the Times says, "cabinet allies turn on" the PM with the allegations.
The Metro says the PM is "reeling as sobbin' Robbins spills beans". And there is "peers pressure" as the paper reports that No 10 wanted an ambassador role for "another lord sacked over links to sex offender". Sir Olly said he had been pressured to find a position for Sir Keir's former communications chief, Lord Matthew Doyle. Lord Doyle was suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party earlier this year after it emerged he had campaigned for a friend to become a councillor who had been charged with child sexual image offences. His friend was later convicted.
According to the Telegraph, "Labour MPs vent fury at 'toxic' No10". Both Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper are "publicly distancing themselves" from the PM after the "most damaging day to date" for Sir Keir. The Matt cartoon shows two bears walking in the woods, with one telling the other: "Keir Starmer says it's incredible that nobody told him what bears do in the woods."
The Mail's take on the Starmer drama is that his "support starts to crack". Sir Olly "plunges the knife into reeling PM" as Lord Mandelson's "poison spreads", it says.
Sir Keir is caught in the "eye of the Starm" according to the Daily Mirror. "Meanwhile... [former Deputy Prime Minister Angela] Rayner calls for 'bold action' on living cost rises," it adds. The stars of the Devil Wears Prada also make the front, at the premiere for the second film in the franchise.
A triptych of pictures of Sir Olly leads the i Paper - along with the headline that a "wounded Starmer" was given a "public dressing down by his Cabinet".
The Financial Times also leads with Sir Olly's day in front of MPs, quoting him on the "atmosphere of pressure" he said he felt he had been under to rush Lord Mandelson's appointment. Meanwhile, in a "senate grilling", US President Donald Trump's pick to be the next chair of the Federal Reserve, Kevin Warsh, said he would not cut interest rates to please Trump.
Sir Olly leads the Guardian too, but also on its front is the news that the US "extends Iran ceasefire hours before deadline". It says it has been a "day of brinkmanship" for President Donadl Trump, who had told a US news outlet earlier that he did not want to extend the ceasefire.
The "No 10 orders on Mandy" were to "just say: 'Yes, Prime Minister'," writes the Sun on Sir Olly's comments.
"Just f***ing approve it!" is the headline on the Daily Star.
The Independent leads with No 10 too, saying it "secretly sought ambassador role for disgraced Starmer ally", referencing Lord Doyle. The paper describes Sir Olly's evidence as "explosive".
The Daily Express uses its front page to call for "hero manager Sean" to "get his job back!" Store manager Sean Egan has said he was sacked by Morrisons after tackling a repeated shoplifter. Morrisons said it could not comment on individual cases, but the health and safety of all colleagues and customers was of paramount importance.
