Downing Street is facing mounting pressure to disclose the extent of Sir Keir Starmer’s knowledge about Peter Mandelson's links to Jeffrey Epstein before appointing him as US ambassador in December 2024.
The release of a vast tranche of documents and emails has shed further light on the close relationship between the former Labour peer and the convicted sex offender.
No 10 is now under intense pressure to reveal exactly how Mandelson was vetted for the diplomatic post, with questions over what Starmer knew about these ties at the time of the appointment.
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The government has so far declined to comment on the specifics of the vetting process, but critics are demanding transparency and a full account of the checks carried out.
