Keir Starmer is facing mounting pressure to resign after it emerged that his former U.S. ambassador appointee, Peter Mandelson, failed security vetting but was still allowed to take up the role.
The government confirmed that Mandelson was later dismissed after it was revealed he had misrepresented the extent of his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Officials also disclosed that the failed vetting had been overridden within the Foreign Office without Starmer’s knowledge.
The controversy has triggered political backlash, with Ed Davey stating that responsibility ultimately lies with the prime minister. He accused Starmer of misleading Parliament and the public, calling for his resignation.
Downing Street maintains that Starmer was unaware of the decision to bypass the vetting concerns. Senior civil servant Olly Robbins is expected to step down after reportedly losing the prime minister’s confidence.
Starmer has apologised for the appointment but blamed Mandelson for what he described as a pattern of deception regarding his links to Epstein. He has pledged to release documentation detailing how the appointment process unfolded.
Cabinet Office minister Darren Jones said the prime minister was “furious” about not being informed of the vetting failure, insisting that Starmer did not mislead Parliament, though he acknowledged flaws in the process.
Mandelson is also under police investigation over allegations he leaked government documents to Epstein. He has not publicly responded to the claims.
