New Delhi, Feb. 9 -- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing one of the most serious challenges of his tenure after revelations about former UK ambassador Peter Mandelson's ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The fallout has left Starmer's leadership under intense scrutiny, with calls from within his own Labour Party for him to resign.

Amid the political turmoil, attention is turning to potential successors - most notably Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, a rising star in Labour's ranks who could become the UK's first Muslim prime minister if she mounts a successful leadership bid.

Starmer, elected in a landslide in July 2024, appointed Mandelson as ambassador to the United States despite the latter's connections with Ep...