‘Weirdly Rushed’ Mandelson Appointment Exposes Starmer’s Chaotic Downing Street
The phrase "weirdly rushed" will haunt Keir Starmer’s premiership, delivering a devastating indictment from within his own inner circle that cuts to the very core of his administration’s failings. This verdict, offered by Sir Keir Starmer’s own national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, concerning the appointment of Lord Mandelson as ambassador to Washington, suggests a prime minister prone to hurried chaos, uncomfortably reminiscent of the turbulent eras of Liz Truss and Boris Johnson.
A Damning Assessment from the Heart of Government
Amidst the trove of government documents released regarding Lord Mandelson’s controversial diplomatic posting, Powell’s characterisation stands out starkly. Powell, a veteran of Whitehall at the highest level and former adviser to Tony Blair, is schooled in the art of judicious understatement. For him to describe the peer’s anointment to Britain’s most prestigious overseas post as "weirdly rushed" is a profound condemnation.
The released files reveal that Powell raised significant concerns "about the individual and reputation" of Mandelson directly with Starmer’s then-chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney. This followed a call with the prime minister’s lawyer, Mike Ostheimer. The documents also reference Mandelson ultimately receiving a £75,000 payout after being dismissed over his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, having initially sought £547,000.
The Collapse of the ‘Cerebral Lawyer’ Persona
From his emergence as a Labour leadership contender through to becoming Prime Minister, Keir Starmer was meticulously presented as a cautious, cerebral lawyer. A trained human rights advocate, he was portrayed as a leader who would dig deeply, rely on detail, and scrutinise matters forensically. This stood in deliberate contrast to the chaos of the Tory years, particularly the Liz Truss regime, and the cavalier approach of Boris Johnson.
The public was promised a considerate, carefully thought-out government. The days of lurching from one decision to another, followed by hasty withdrawals and unintended consequences, were supposed to be over. Starmer himself pledged a politics that would "tread more lightly" on people’s lives, offering businesses certainty and consigning a torrid national episode to memory.
A Continuation of Chaos, Not a New Dawn
Instead, the Starmer administration has become a continuation of the same political instability, albeit perhaps without the wild brushstrokes of his predecessors. The reign of Rishi Sunak now appears positively settled by comparison. The government has executed a remarkable series of U-turns—15 at the last official count, with more likely hidden in the minutiae. Notably, the Mandelson hiring and firing debacle isn’t even included in that startling total.
This diplomatic posting, the most prestigious of all, went badly wrong because Mandelson was not sufficiently forthcoming about his friendship with Epstein. The dossier reveals that, far from leading a smooth-running Downing Street machine with a boss who takes his time, Starmer is given to hurried chaos. He appears little different from Truss and Johnson in this critical regard.
Systemic Failures in Judgment and Vetting
Doubts about Mandelson were not confined to Jonathan Powell. The senior Foreign Office civil servant, Philip Barton, also held reservations. Starmer was explicitly warned of a "general reputational risk" posed by Mandelson but proceeded regardless. McSweeney reportedly responded that "the issues had been addressed."
The vetting process was shockingly inadequate. Matthew Doyle, Starmer’s former director of communications, played a key role. When the Cabinet Office highlighted reputation risks linked to Epstein, the Prime Minister, via McSweeney, asked a series of questions. It was Doyle who reviewed Mandelson’s responses and declared himself "satisfied." This is the same Matthew Doyle who later admitted being a "personal friend" of Mandelson and having seen him socially around December 2024. Doyle was subsequently promoted to the Lords by Starmer, only to have the whip removed after The Times revealed he had campaigned for a sex offender.
A Profound Lack of Curiosity and Poor Judgment
Keir Starmer may be a smart lawyer, but he is proving a poor judge of character. Understanding people and their behaviour is clearly not his forte. He and his inner circle displayed a striking incuriosity. Starmer placed extraordinary faith in McSweeney, preferring his assurances over the grave concerns raised by the experienced Powell and Barton.
The prime minister’s determination to install Mandelson in Washington, bypassing eminently qualified career diplomats, has never been clearly explained. It appears Starmer, like previous Labour premiers, was held in thrall by the Mandelson legend—the belief that the peer possessed a mystical ability to open doors and get things done.
Starmer is no better than his predecessors. Because the public was so assured he would be different, his failures seem even more profound. The phrase "weirdly rushed" should stand as a damning judgment on an increasingly bleak premiership. Tragically, it is likely to be merely the first of many such verdicts.
