THE scandal involving the connection between Lord Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein is “extremely troubling”, the Work and Pensions Minister, Sir Stephen Timms, has said.
Speaking to the Church Times on the fringes of a conference at Westminster on faith and politics, Sir Stephen, who’s Labour MP for East Ham, said of the Mandelson affair: “It’s obviously extremely troubling, what has emerged.
“I feel the Prime Minister was absolutely right to sack Peter Mandelson [as US ambassador] when he did [last September], and there’s now a police investigation under way, and the Government will provide all the assistance and support for that investigation that is required.”
Sir Stephen made the remarks on Friday, hours after Labour lost the by-election to the Green Party in Gorton and Denton — a result he described as “clearly disappointing”.
NEIL MASSEYSir Stephen Timms (right) with Stewart McCulloch, the CEO of Christians Against Poverty
He said: “I visited the constituency through the campaign, and picked up numerous support for the Green Party on the time, and we’ve seen that translated into the result. It’s the type of thing that happens . . . in the course of a term in government. I’m pleased that the Reform Party was unsuccessful. I feel they were upset about that. We’ve obviously got more work to do to steer people who the way in which forward that we’ve charted is the correct one.” He didn’t think that the Mandelson scandal had affected the vote.
Sir Stephen was speaking on the Church Works summit, which took place at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, and brought together people of religion and in government who work to support vulnerable people.
In a letter contained in the event’s programme, addressing those present, the Prime Minister said that the Government remained committed to “working in close partnership with church leaders and congregations” to tackle social challenges and create opportunities for all. Sir Keir Starmer sent the message to the Church Works Commission, which is a component of the Good Faith Foundation charity.
Opening the day of panel discussions, interviews, and workshops, Miatta Fahnbulleh, Minister for Devolution, Faith and Communities, who has been in post for six months, said that the Government was making a “clearer framework for a way government and civil society can work together” to serve communities.
She acknowledged, nevertheless, that they “must go further to strengthen community cohesion and resilience, especially in places which face the best risks and threats”.
Ms Fahnbulleh, who’s now also Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, said that “a long time of underinvestment have entrenched deprivation and stifled growth, particularly within the communities which have too often been left behind.”
She also warned about “groups in search of to use real protests and bonafide concerns”, and “ongoing opposition to asylum hotels”.
“We can rightly take pride within the UK as an overwhelmingly inclusive country, but there are pressing issues that demand our focus and urgent motion,” she said.
“We saw this, through the widespread disorder in the summertime of 2024, and in the continued opposition to asylum hotels. Of course, there have at all times been groups in search of to use real protests and bonafide concerns, but we cannot ignore the impact this has on our communities. We know we must go further, to work with councils, communities, and faith partners to strengthen community cohesion and resilience, especially within the places which face the best risks and threats.”
NEIL MASSEYJustin Brierley (left), Swarzy Shire (centre) and Miatta Fahnbulleh (right) speaking on the Church Works event
She continued: “My department is leading a cross-Government effort to handle the deeper, underlying issues that drive division — working hand in hand with communities and native partners to rebuild trust, renew relationships, and strengthen social bonds. I hope to say more about this within the weeks to return.”
Speaking later in a panel discussion on poverty, Sir Stephen praised the Government’s work on the difficulty, including scrapping the two-child advantages cap last yr, but he continued: “I feel there ought to be some recent, formalised partnerships between government and churches, and church-based organisations.
“I hope there shall be properly developed communications channels between people working in churches on the front line and the Government, in order that when things start to alter, there’s a fast communications mechanism, in order that in Government we understand what’s occurring, alter our policies, and move things in the correct direction.”
He also called for “a lot better, developed local partnerships between local authorities and churches”.
Friday’s event was hosted by the Christian broadcasters Justin Brierley and Swarzy Shire.
