Starmer Faces 'Dereliction of Duty' Allegations Over Mandelson Appointment Process
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been accused of a "dereliction of duty" following revelations that he did not personally interview Peter Mandelson before appointing him as Britain's ambassador to Washington. Downing Street confirmed there was "no requirement" for the Prime Minister to conduct a formal interview with the controversial peer before handing him one of the most sensitive diplomatic posts in the service.
Explosive Epstein Photograph Emerges
The controversy intensified with the emergence of a sensational new photograph believed to show Mandelson's first meeting with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, alongside disgraced former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. The image, thought to have been taken in the United States around the turn of the century, depicts all three men together in what appears to be a casual setting.
In the photograph, a smiling Mandelson and Mountbatten-Windsor appear barefoot and dressed in bathrobes, seated at a table with Epstein, who is fully dressed in polo shirt and chinos. The image is believed to have been captured at a summer house in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, and represents the earliest visual evidence of the relationship between the three figures.
Political Condemnation and Criticism
Opposition Leader Kemi Badenoch launched a scathing attack on Friday, stating: "The fact Keir Starmer did not even meet with Peter Mandelson before appointing him as Britain's ambassador to Washington is a total dereliction of duty." She continued her criticism by highlighting Starmer's legal background, questioning why he didn't personally interrogate Mandelson despite being presented with documentation outlining his connections to Epstein.
Documents made public this week reveal that Starmer was warned in writing about Mandelson's "particularly close" friendship with Epstein, which reportedly continued for years after the financier's 2008 conviction for child-sex offences. Despite these warnings, the Prime Minister delegated the questioning of Mandelson to two advisers known to be close friends of the peer.
Questionable Delegation of Responsibility
Morgan McSweeney, Starmer's former chief of staff, asked Mandelson just three questions about his friendship with Epstein, while former communications director Matthew Doyle reviewed the responses and reported being "satisfied" with them. Both men are recognized as protégés of Mandelson, raising concerns about the impartiality of the vetting process.
Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith described the arrangement as "an absolute absurdity" to leave the scrutiny of Mandelson's Epstein links to two of his friends. There is no evidence that Starmer asked any follow-up questions, despite being informed that Mandelson had stayed at Epstein's New York mansion while the financier was imprisoned for soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Downing Street's Response and Ongoing Controversy
When questioned about whether Starmer spoke to Mandelson before the December 2024 appointment, the Prime Minister's spokesman responded: "The full process at the time of the appointment was followed. There was no requirement for a formal interview with the PM as part of that process." The spokesman acknowledged that "shortcomings have been highlighted" and that "lessons are to be learned" from the situation.
Tory frontbencher Alex Burghart has written to the Prime Minister's standards adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, requesting an investigation into whether Starmer misled Parliament by claiming that "full due process" had been followed. However, Sir Laurie rejected these calls, stating he was satisfied that the "relevant process" had been properly implemented.
Missing Documents and Cover-Up Allegations
The Labour government now faces allegations of a potential cover-up, with Badenoch claiming that key files outlining the Prime Minister's decision-making process are either "missing" or have been "removed." Among the documents in question is the due diligence report sent to Starmer detailing Mandelson's connections to Epstein, along with accounts of his two previous Cabinet resignations and business links to China and Russia.
Significantly, the section where the Prime Minister's comments and instructions should have been recorded remains blank. Burghart has identified 56 files that appear to be missing, describing them as "relevant to the Prime Minister's decision-making" and suggesting that failure to provide them to Parliament could constitute a breach of the ministerial code.
Historical Context and Epstein Connections
The newly released photograph adds to the growing body of evidence about Mandelson's relationship with Epstein. Previous documents have revealed that Mandelson described being "entranced" during his first meeting with the financier and referred to him as his "best pal" in Epstein's birthday book. The Labour peer has acknowledged meeting Epstein through mutual acquaintances including Ghislaine Maxwell and financier Sir Evelyn de Rothschild.
Both Mandelson and Mountbatten-Windsor remain under police investigation for allegedly leaking sensitive information to Epstein while holding public office, though both men deny any wrongdoing. The Epstein files, released in January under the US Epstein Transparency Act, continue to reveal new evidence due to their extensive volume, with this latest photograph representing another significant development in the ongoing scandal.
