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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is currently facing scrutiny regarding his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as the UK ambassador to the US, following Mandelson’s dismissal due to his associations with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Labour peer was let go after emails emerged showing his supportive messages to Epstein during the time when he was facing sex offense charges in 2008. It was revealed that the government was unaware of the extent of Lord Mandelson’s connection with Epstein at the time of his appointment last year, prompting calls from the Conservatives for the disclosure of all vetting materials.
According to the prime minister’s spokesperson, the vetting process was conducted by government departments, and any insinuation that No 10 was involved is unfounded. The Conservatives are urging Sir Keir to clarify what he knew prior to appointing Lord Mandelson and before publicly supporting him during Prime Minister’s Questions. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has also called for transparency, questioning the rationale behind appointing Mandelson given the government’s prior knowledge of the situation. Within the Labour Party itself, discontent is brewing, as some MPs criticize the appointment of Mandelson and the delay in his dismissal once new information surfaced.
In response to his departure, Lord Mandelson expressed deep regret in a letter to staff. He acknowledged the privilege of serving as ambassador but expressed remorse for his association with Epstein and the suffering of his victims. The decision to part ways with Mandelson was made in a meeting between the prime minister and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. Despite generally positive feedback on Mandelson’s performance as ambassador to the US, his dismissal comes just before a state visit by US President Donald Trump. The visit will proceed as planned, with British diplomat James Roscoe filling in as interim ambassador. President Trump’s upcoming visit coincides with the renewed focus on Mandelson’s ties to Epstein, as highlighted by recent document releases by US lawmakers
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