Prime Minister Keir Starmer did not personally speak to Peter Mandelson before appointing him as the United Kingdom's ambassador to Washington, according to explosive claims reported today. The Labour leader reportedly delegated the task of questioning the New Labour architect about his long-standing connections to convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein to his aides.
Evidence of Ongoing Friendship Ignored
This decision was made despite Sir Keir being presented with clear evidence that Mandelson's friendship with Epstein had continued even after the disgraced financier was imprisoned. Senior government officials had also raised serious misgivings about the appointment during the vetting process.
Grovelling Apology Amid Labour Fury
The revelations in The Times newspaper emerged after Sir Keir offered what was described as a grovelling mea culpa during a visit to Belfast yesterday. The Prime Minister admitted, "It was me that made the mistake" and acknowledged he was the one who needed to "make the apology to the victims of Epstein."
His comments came in response to mounting anger from Labour MPs after government documents revealed that official vetting procedures had highlighted Mandelson's "close" links to Epstein before his December 2024 appointment as the UK's top diplomat in Washington.
Due Diligence Report Flagged Concerns
A comprehensive three-page due diligence report supplied to Sir Keir on December 11, 2024 explicitly flagged the troubling connections between Mandelson and Epstein. The Foreign Office's top mandarin and national security adviser Jonathan Powell both expressed significant reservations during the appointment process.
Three Questions Protocol
Despite these warnings, Sir Keir proceeded with the appointment after apparently agreeing with his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney on three specific questions that Mandelson needed to answer. Number 10 has stated it cannot release details of these exchanges due to an ongoing Metropolitan Police investigation, though documents suggest Director of Communications Matthew Doyle was "satisfied" with Mandelson's responses.
Accusations and Political Fallout
Sir Keir, who is currently in Ireland, has since accused Mandelson of "lying" about the extent of his connections with Epstein. Meanwhile, senior Conservative figure Kemi Badenoch has complained of a potential "cover-up" over information allegedly missing from government papers and has urged Labour MPs to remove Sir Keir from leadership.
Labour backbenchers have accused the Prime Minister of dragging their party "into the gutter" through this controversy. The government had previously promised to publish extensive information about Mandelson following a rebellion by MPs during a Commons vote last month.
Police Investigation Complicates Transparency
Sir Keir explained yesterday, "The release of the information shows what was known. That led to further questions being asked. Unfortunately, because of the Metropolitan Police investigation, we can't release that information yet. But that doesn't take away from the fact that it was me that made a mistake, and it's me that makes the apology to the victims of Epstein, and I do that."
Mandelson's Legal Situation
Lord Mandelson was arrested on February 23 on suspicion of misconduct in public office, specifically accused of passing sensitive information to Epstein during his tenure as business secretary under former Prime Minister Gordon Brown. He was subsequently bailed, later had his passport returned, and remains under investigation while denying any criminal wrongdoing or acting for personal gain.
