Keir Starmer overruled officials who warned of a “reputational risk” in appointing Peter Mandelson as US ambassador, despite being given evidence of the peer’s continued relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, newly released documents reveal.
The files show that two of the government’s most senior security and foreign policy officials – national security adviser Jonathan Powell and Foreign Office permanent secretary Philip Barton – raised concerns about Mandelson’s involvement in previous scandals. Powell described the appointment as “weirdly rushed”.
Despite a due diligence dossier warning that Mandelson stayed with Epstein after his 2008 conviction and maintained contact across 2009–2011, Starmer’s aides said they were “satisfied” with Mandelson’s explanations. The prime minister has since claimed Mandelson misled his team about the depth of the friendship.
The documents also reveal that Mandelson was offered a highly classified Foreign Office briefing before his formal vetting was complete. Official procedures were overridden: his higher-tier clearances were not finalised until weeks after the briefing, and Strap clearance was not initiated until 4 February 2025, contrary to guidelines requiring an application three months before starting.
Mandelson was later sacked in September 2025 after further revelations about his Epstein links, and received a £75,000 severance payment after initially asking for more than £500,000.
