英国股债汇齐跌！核心幕僚深陷爱泼斯坦丑闻，内阁大臣集体反水“逼宫”斯塔默辞职

Core Viewpoint - The political career of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is at a critical juncture due to the appointment of Peter Mandelson, linked to the Epstein case, as ambassador to the US, leading to resignations within his core team and calls for his resignation from cabinet ministers [1][6][10]. Group 1: Political Crisis and Resignations - Starmer's chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, resigned, taking full responsibility for the Mandelson appointment, followed by communications chief Tim Allan, indicating a significant loss of political support for Starmer [6][7]. - The crisis has led to a turbulent political environment, with cabinet ministers privately demanding Starmer's resignation or threatening to resign themselves, creating uncertainty about his leadership [8][9]. Group 2: Market Reactions - The political turmoil has negatively impacted financial markets, with the FTSE 100 index experiencing a slight decline and the British pound dropping 0.5% against the euro, reaching its lowest level since January 22 [1][7]. - Hedge funds are heavily betting on further declines of the pound, with a significant increase in options trading, particularly in euro-pound options, which reached the highest volume since 2019 [7][11]. Group 3: Future Leadership Concerns - There are speculations about potential successors to Starmer, including Health Secretary Wes Streeting and former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, as internal party dynamics shift amid the crisis [6][9]. - The upcoming by-election and local elections are critical tests for Starmer, with polls indicating potential losses for the Labour Party, raising concerns about his ability to maintain leadership [10][11].