nick ardley
political correspondent

You’ve probably heard the word “fever” used to describe the situation at Westminster this week. It was, and probably still is. However, when members of Congress return home for the weekend, press conferences often quiet down for several days.

But the Prime Minister knows he cannot breathe a sigh of relief just yet.

MPs will be speaking to voters over the next few days to gauge their anger over Mr Mandelson’s situation. If they get even a little earshot at the door, they’re likely to come back even angrier.

There are some key moments coming up soon that could be very dangerous for the Prime Minister.

document

There is a release of documents regarding Mandelson. What will they show? Are MPs convinced that the Prime Minister was lied to when he appointed Mr Mandelson? Could there be a more embarrassing revelation?

There will also be by-elections for Gorton and Denton later this month. If they lose badly, as some Labor figures fear, will MPs decide they need to act on their leadership?

election

Similarly, a number of elections will take place at the beginning of May. Labor is likely to lose Wales. Local elections in Scotland and England could also face very tough results. It has long been seen as a moment when the prime minister becomes extremely vulnerable.

Two things to keep in mind

First, there is no clear successor. There are names – Wes Streeting, Angela Rayner, probably some kind of janitor. But many of them have their own baggage (the street was near Mandelson, which was Rayner’s tax problem).

Second, lawmakers don’t know exactly how to force a change in leadership. Some people are uneasy about the idea of ​​protracted leadership campaigns in an uncertain world. Some fear that the situation could worsen if they don’t get the leader they want.

But there is no doubt that Labor MPs are angry. Keir Starmer’s leadership has been in question for some time, but events over the past week have added to the sense of crisis.