Britain is in political turmoil over the Peter Mandelson affair and his appointment as the country’s ambassador to the United States, despite it being known that he had maintained close ties with Jeffrey Epstein.
The Appointment That Sparked a Storm
At the centre of the new government crisis is the process by which Mandelson was appointed to the post. It has emerged that the required vetting was not carried out, and that some of the damaging information about him was concealed from the relevant agencies and committees. Prime Minister Keir Starmer defended himself, claiming he had not been informed of any of this, while the affair also threatens the political survival of Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, whose ministry is responsible for approving ambassador appointments.
Cooper stated that both she, Prime Minister Starmer, and former Foreign Secretary David Lammy “should have been informed that there was a problem” with Mandelson’s appointment, and that the failure to be properly briefed was a cause for concern. She added that Parliament did not receive all the information “it should have received” and that she has ordered a review of the information that was provided.
Opposition Demands Starmer’s Resignation
The revelations about Mandelson and his appointment process have brought intense pressure from the opposition, with some going as far as calling for Starmer’s resignation.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described the evidence emerging from the testimony of former senior Foreign Office official Oli Robbins as “devastating,” arguing that it is now clear the required appointment procedures were not fully followed. In a post on X, she accused Starmer of having misled Parliament.
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey and Green Party co-leader Zack Polanski also called for Starmer to step down, with the latter arguing that Mandelson’s appointment was based on a flawed judgement from the outset. Davey described the government’s handling of the affair as deeply disappointing.
Nigel Farage also criticised Starmer, directly questioning the credibility of the Prime Minister’s statements and arguing that there are many troubling aspects to the matter — saying it is clear that Mandelson was not a suitable choice for the Washington post.
