Morning briefing Monday 9th February

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0:35This is your Times Radio News Briefing for the morning of Monday 9th February. Sir Keir Starmer is facing continued questions over his leadership after his most senior aide resigned in the wake of the Mandelson scandal. A number of Labour MPs remain angry about the decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as US ambassador, despite knowing about his links to child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Yesterday, Starmer's Chief of Staff, Morgan McSweeney, resigned, taking full responsibility for the decision. Later, the Prime Minister is expected to address the Parliamentary Labour Party, the mood of which has been described as mutinous.

1:12Gavin Barwell was Theresa May's Chief of Staff. He spoke to Times Radio and said it may well be too late for Starmer. There's clearly a lot of Labour MPs are very, very concerned about how the government has got into this terrible mess after winning such a huge majority only 18 months ago. But secondly, you know, whether it's too late. If Morgan has resigned because of the advice he gave on appointing Peter Mandelson, well, where does that leave the prime minister who accepted that advice? And ultimately, you know, advisers advise, but it's ministers who take the decisions. Meanwhile, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is facing fresh allegations in relation to the Epstein files.

1:52Emails released by the US Department of Justice appear to show the former Duke sharing confidential information when he was UK trade envoy. They include reports of official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore and a brief on investment opportunities in the reconstruction of Afghanistan in 2010. Andrew has vehemently denied any wrongdoing. There are also questions about what those around Andrew knew, including staff and protection officers. Will Geddes is a security specialist. Now the personal protection officers would have to be as close proximity to Andrew Mountbatten to maintain his security.

2:28So them staying in the residence of Jeffrey Epstein was probably something that was a good thing in many regards for the personal protection officers because they were close to it. But the problem that they are compromised by is what they may see behind closed doors. There's been an historic election victory in Japan, where the country has just voted in their first female prime minister. Conservative Sanae Takeichi led her coalition to a landslide win in a snap election, many viewed as a political gamble. It hands her a huge mandate to follow through on a pledge to cut taxes and improve the economy through spending.

3:02Amy Katalinak is an associate professor of politics at New York University. She specialises in Japanese politics. They don't have a majority in the upper house, but with a two-thirds majority in the lower house, then they're able to sort of push through legislation even if the upper house doesn't agree. Media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted of national security offences in Hong Kong. The 78-year-old who holds a British passport was found guilty last month of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and of publishing seditious materials. He's denied all the charges against him, saying he's a political prisoner facing persecution from Beijing.

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