London: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing mounting political pressure after fresh revelations over the appointment of Peter Mandelson, whose links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had already sparked controversy. He is set to address Parliament on Monday.
The latest row centres on claims that Mandelson failed a key security vetting process before taking up the diplomatic post.
Starmer admitted it was “unforgivable” that he was not informed earlier about the failed vetting. Opposition leaders have accused him of misleading lawmakers and called for his resignation if it is proven he knew, or should have known, about the clearance failure.
Starmer reiterated that he would “set out the relevant facts” before lawmakers on Monday.
The controversy has already claimed one senior official, with top Foreign Office civil servant Olly Robbins dismissed after Downing Street said confidence had been lost in him. The government maintains Starmer would never have approved the appointment had he known the full details.
Robbins is expected to testify before a parliamentary committee on Tuesday, reported Hindustan Times.
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said Starmer had “showed catastrophic misjudgment.”
Badenoch, according to HT, had written in a letter that it had been a tawdry and shaming affair for Starmer, the party, and the country.
She added that the episode had “damaged our relationship with the United States and insulted the victims of the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.” She claimed it had undermined national security by giving the highest diplomatic post to an individual that the security services found to be of ‘high concern’.
Senior members of Starmer’s government have supported him. Foreign secretary David Lammy said had the prime minister been aware of the vetting failure, “he would never, ever have appointed him ambassador,” reported HT.
