Keir Starmer received a Cabinet Office briefing outlining Peter Mandelson's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein before approving his appointment as US ambassador, senior civil servants have told MPs.
The cabinet secretary, Chris Wormald, said the report contained a summary of reputational risks, including Mandelson's prior links with Epstein and his past resignations from ministerial office. He said the decision ultimately rested with the prime minister.
The disclosure came as it emerged that Mandelson had stayed at Epstein's Manhattan flat in 2009, a year after the financier was jailed, and that official records showed he facilitated a meeting between Epstein and Tony Blair in 2002. The National Archives has since released those records.
Wormald and Oliver Robbins, the Foreign Office's permanent secretary, also revealed that Starmer was not informed of the contents of the leaked emails before he voiced confidence in Mandelson at Prime Minister's Questions. Officials were verifying the emails with Mandelson, but ministers were only told of a media inquiry. Bloomberg published them later that day.
Mandelson was removed from his post last month after the emails showed him expressing support for Epstein and urging his early release in 2008. Wormald described the messages as gamechanging. Robbins confirmed Mandelson is no longer on the government payroll, but declined to say whether he received a severance package.
In response, the government has introduced updated guidance for politically appointed ambassadors, including a pre-appointment interview with a senior official and a fireside chat with the relevant minister.
