Keir Starmer has been blasted as he prepares to deliver a speech on ‘decency’ and ‘upholding values’, a day after admitting he knew about Mandelson’s friendship with Epstein before appointing him. The Prime Minister will travel to East Sussex this morning, where he will make a fresh attempt to get his premiership back on track, after MPs and Cabinet Ministers briefed last night that it is “over”.

In extracts from the speech briefed overnight by Downing Street, Sir Keir is set to “take a stand in defence of a decent and tolerant Britain, one that is built on common values, against the opposition forces who offer division and decline.” He will say: “I believe in our values. I believe in rules that protect those in need. I believe in the freedom to live and let live in decency and tolerance, in respect for difference under the same flag, a common good.” In a dig at Reform UK, Sir Keir will add: “We are bound by values, by common endeavour and by responsibilities we owe to one another as partners in the project of this great nation.

“I believe in our way of doing things. That in a world that increasingly preys on weakness, I believe Britain is stronger as a tolerant, decent and respectful country.”

However, the speech has already been torn apart by the Tories, hours before it’s even been delivered.

A Conservative spokesman pointed out the irony of giving a speech on ‘British values’ and ‘decency’, less than 24 hours after the Prime Minister admitted he appointed Peter Mandelson despite knowing about his ongoing relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

They said: “It’s hard to overstate the absurdity of Keir Starmer making a speech about values and decency the day after he admitted appointing an ambassador who had remained friends with a convicted paedophile.

“The Prime Minister’s authority is shot. He no longer speaks for the Labour Party, let alone the country.

“Only the Conservatives have a plan to sort out our country, and the team and experience to ensure we get Britain working again.”

The purpose of the Prime Minister’s speech is to announce an additional £800 million in funding to support 40 new communities as part of the wider £5 billion Pride In Place Programme.

The new funding will hand £20 million to each community to clean up town centres, invest in youth services or open up better sports facilities.

The Prime Minister was warned he is now in “terminal decline” by cabinet ministers after extraordinary scenes in the House of Commons yesterday.

Sir Keir told Kemi Badenoch at PMQs that he had been briefed about Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein.

He was then forced into a humiliating U-turn by Angela Rayner, who demanded that the Intelligence and Security Committee be given oversight of the publication of key documents surrounding Mandelson’s vetting and appointment, rather than just No. 10.

One Cabinet minister told The Times that the appointment of Mandelson was “very hard to defend” and was “yet another self-inflicted wound”.

Another minister said it felt “terminal” for the Prime Minister, and a third said his performance at Prime Minister’s Questions was “physically painful”.