Scarborough and Whitby MP Backs Prime Minister Following Leadership Turmoil

Alison Hume, the Member of Parliament for Scarborough and Whitby, has publicly declared her support for Sir Keir Starmer following a week of significant political pressure on the Labour leadership.

The MP is currently recuperating at home in her constituency following a hip operation and has been unable to attend Westminster in person.

Ms Hume’s backing comes as the Prime Minister faces the most challenging period of his premiership. The crisis was sparked by the controversy over the appointment of Lord Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to the United States following the most recent revelations from the Epstein emails. The appointment is a decision for which Sir Keir Starmer has since taken "full responsibility," admitting it was "wrong". The fallout has seen high-profile resignations from Downing Street, including Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney and Director of Communications Tim Allan, as well as calls for the Prime Minister to resign from Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.

Despite the national "noise," Ms Hume remains firm in her belief that the Prime Minister is the right person to lead the country and reform the political system. In an interview with This is the Coast she pointed to Sir Keir’s former role as the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) as evidence of his ability to handle such challenges.

"Kier Starmer is a former DPP is very well placed to turn over the stones and the rocks where people like Peter Mandelson hide and reform the way we do things to ensure that the powerful can't use their position to feather their own nests.

The Labour Party is there for the powerless, not the powerful. So I'm putting my faith in Kier Starmer to get on with making the reforms that we need to make to make sure that this can't happen again, we all feel really let down by Peter Mandelson. And yes, it was the wrong decision to appoint him, Kier starmer has said that."

The MP expressed deep concern regarding the revelations surrounding Lord Mandelson’s past associations. She emphasised that the focus must remain on the victims of the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

"This started with the unfortunate appointment of Peter Mandelson and he has turned out to be a very self-serving, deceptive and dishonourable human being. And behind him is his relationship with the despicable late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. And at the base of all of it are the victims, the women and girls that were exploited by this terrible man.

And he was funded by lots of money coming from goodness knows where and it looks like on the advice sometimes of Peter Mandelson and and I just want to say that we mustn't forget the women and girls in America who were trafficked the modern slaves that came from everywhere and we've got modern slavery of course in the same way girls being exploited in this country but to go back to the victims my thoughts with them"

While Ms Hume was unable to attend a pivotal meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party on Monday—where Sir Keir reportedly arrived with a "face like thunder" but left with a "very good reception" after vowing not to walk away from his mandate—she insisted that the party must avoid further internal division.

"I wasn't at the meeting where he spoke to MPs. I understand he was very passionate and he's not going anywhere.

And I think it's the right thing. We've got a five-year mandate from the British people and we shouldn't waste a second on that on infighting.

Nobody wants to see a leadership election in the Labour Party. It's the last thing we need. We said we wouldn't do that. People were sick of the Tories changing their leaders as often as their socks.

No, I'm backing Kier,  I want us to get on with delivering stuff and actually talk about the stuff we are delivering because I think that's got lost in all the noise."

The MP is currently balancing her political duties with her recovery from surgery, which she noted was performed under the care of the NHS. She shared that she had received a personal message of support from the Prime Minister himself during this difficult week.

"I had fantastic care on the NHS. All I can say is the old hip pain has gone, replaced by a new sort of surgical hip pain and stiffness. And anyone that's had a hip replacement will know exactly what I mean by that. But I feel very fortunate.

And actually, I've just opened a lovely little letter from the prime minister today extending his best wishes as I recover from my hip replacement. And I noticed it dated the 4th of February, which I think is the date when, you know, the sky started to fall in on chicken licking., so, it's really lovely to know that my boss has taken time out to write me a little get well note."

Ms Hume joins a number of senior figures, including Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy and Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who have rallied around Sir Keir as he attempts to move past the scandal and return the government’s focus to its national mission.