UK PM Starmer admits Mandelson envoy appointment was a mistake amid Epstein row

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said connected Monday helium had been incorrect to name Labour person Peter Mandelson arsenic UK envoy to Washington, seeking to quell choler implicit a ungraded surrounding convicted enactment offender Jeffrey Epstein's long-time associate.

Starmer, whose popularity with the British nationalist and galore MPs successful his ain centre-left Labour Party has slumped, has besides struggled to negociate a contention that threatens to bring down his leadership.

Addressing parliament astir the deepening governmental row, Starmer said: "At the bosom of this, determination is besides a judgement I made that was wrong. I should not person appointed Peter Mandelson."

He faced caller calls to discontinue past week aft it was revealed that Mandelson, whose relationship with the precocious disgraced New York financier was agelong known, had go Britain's envoy to Washington past twelvemonth contempt failing information checks.

Starmer has insisted that helium and different ministers were not told until past week that Mandelson had failed the autarkic vetting process.

"It beggars content that passim the full timeline of events, officials successful the Foreign Office saw acceptable to withhold this accusation from the astir elder ministers successful our system, successful government," helium told MPs.

"If I had known earlier helium took up his station that (the) proposal was that developed vetting clearance should beryllium denied, I would not person gone up with the appointment."

Due process

Last Thursday, Starmer sacked the UK Foreign Office's apical civilian servant, Olly Robins, telling MPs that helium had acceptable successful question a reappraisal of the information vetting process.

But ex-civil servants person accused Starmer of scapegoating Robbins, who volition springiness his ain relationship to a parliamentary watchdog committee connected Tuesday.

Opposition leaders person called for the Labour person to measurement down, with accusations ranging from incompetence to wilful misleading of parliamentarians and the public.

Starmer told parliament successful February that "full owed process" was followed erstwhile Mandelson was vetted and cleared for the cardinal role.

His Downing Street bureau has insisted that remains existent due to the fact that authorities rules meant the UK Foreign Office had the powerfulness to overrule vetting concerns, without the cognition of Starmer and his apical team.

On Friday, Downing Street took the antithetic measurement of releasing a memo that insisted helium had lone recovered retired astir the vetting nonaccomplishment past Tuesday. Senior ministers person truthful acold rallied astir Starmer.

"A judgement was made that the Trump medication was an unconventional medication and an unconventional ambassador could bash a occupation for the United Kingdom," Scotland Secretary Douglas Alexander said Monday.

"That judgement was incorrect and the premier curate accepts that."

Calls to measurement down

Other ministers person argued that Starmer should stay successful powerfulness amid planetary turmoil sparked by the Iran warfare successful and different issues, including forging person relations with the EU.

But polls suggest Starmer is 1 of Britain's astir unpopular premier ministers ever.

Starmer sacked Mandelson successful September 2025, 7 months aft helium took up the post, aft caller details emerged astir the extent of the ex-envoy's ties to Epstein, who died successful a US situation successful 2019 portion facing sex-trafficking charges.

UK constabulary are investigating allegations of misconduct successful bureau by Mandelson, 72, erstwhile helium was a Labour curate much than 15 years ago. He was arrested and released successful February.

Mandelson has not been charged and denies transgression wrongdoing.

Starmer and his Labour enactment are besides bracing for a chastening acceptable of section elections adjacent month, including successful the devolved Scottish and Welsh parliaments.