British Prime Minister Keir Starmer remains under intense pressure from within his Labour Party ranks as he seeks to steady the ship amid widespread anger over the Peter Mandelson controversy.
Leadership speculation intensified as Mr Starmer gave a speech apologising to Jeffrey Epstein's victims for believing Mr Mandelson's "lies" about his relationship with the paedophile financier.
In a speech, Mr Starmer insisted that "none of us knew the depth of the darkness" of Mr Mandelson's relationship with Epstein when he was appointed ambassador to the US last year.
Police are investigating allegations that Mr Mandelson, who has stepped down from the House of Lords, passed on market-sensitive information to Epstein when he was business secretary following the 2008 financial crisis.
Other documents released by the US Department of Justice also laid bare the apparent extent of the pair's relationship, with messages appearing to show Mr Mandelson celebrate Epstein's release from jail as "Liberation day".
The Metropolitan Police said they are searching two addresses as part of their investigation into Mr Mandelson for alleged misconduct in public office.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Hayley Sewart, of the Metropolitan Police, said in a statement: "I can confirm that officers from the Met's Central Specialist Crime team are in the process of carrying out search warrants at two addresses, one in the Wiltshire area, and another in the Camden area.
"The searches are related to an ongoing investigation into misconduct in public office offences, involving a 72-year-old man.
"He has not been arrested and enquiries are ongoing."
Amid growing uncertainty about his political future, Mr Starmer said he shared the "anger and frustration" of colleagues about the saga but vowed to continue as prime minister.
However pressure continues to mount on him to sack his most senior adviser amid the fallout from the controversy.
Labour MPs have issued further calls for their party leader to dismiss his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, whom they blame for Mr Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador.
Backbencher Simon Opher called for a "clear out at Number 10", telling the BBC's Today programme: "If my chief of staff had done this, I think he would be looking for another job."
Others calling for Mr McSweeney's departure include veteran MP Clive Efford and Southport's Patrick Hurley, who suggested another job should be found for him running the party's campaigns rather than the government.
Their comments follow an intervention by Labour's former deputy leader Harriet Harman, who said Mr Starmer should consider "a real reset" in Downing Street and warned his premiership could be finished if he does not take the right course of action.
But other than a handful of backbenchers, most MPs have so far declined to call for the prime minister himself to go, stressing their support for Mr Starmer while urging a change in backroom staff.
The prime minister's official spokesman has said that Mr Starmer retains "full confidence" in Mr McSweeney.
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The Daily Mail reported that Mr Starmer's former deputy, Angela Rayner, who left government after underpaying stamp duty on a new property, had told friends she was "ready" to launch a leadership campaign.
A spokesperson for Ms Rayner said: "We don't recognise these claims."
Many Labour MPs have privately expressed a lack of confidence in Mr Starmer's team and pointed to his right-hand man Mr McSweeney, whom they blame for Mr Mandelson's appointment last year.
There was also anger about Downing Street's attempt to control the release of potentially explosive documents providing insight into how the decision was made.
The government backed down and ceded control to parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee to decide what could be released into the public domain in the face of a Labour mutiny.
The release could be delayed because the Metropolitan Police has asked the government not to publish documents that would "undermine" its probe.
Mr Starmer retains "full confidence" in his chief of staff, his official spokesman told reporters.
