Starmer needs attack ads because Labour can’t count on right-wing press, says Mandelson

New Labour architect says he would have happily signed-off on ad condemned as ‘gutter politics’

Labour leader Keir Starmer (PA)

New Labour architect Peter Mandelson has backing Labour’s controversial attack ads against Rishi Sunak because the party can’t count on right-wing newspapers to “do it on their behalf”.

The latest invention comes as Wes Streeting defended the anti-Sunak ads to Labour MPs at a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) on Monday night.

A major row has engulfed Sir Keir Starmer’s party since it claimed on Twitter that Mr Sunak did not think child sex abusers should be in prison – with senior figures accusing the leadership of sliding into “gutter politics”.