Prime Minister Keir Starmer dismissed Lord Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the United States on Thursday, hours after publicly defending the appointment, triggering widespread criticism of the prime minister’s judgment and calls for an inquiry into the vetting process.
Starmer’s decision came less than 24 hours after he mounted a robust defence of Mandelson and about 10 months after the appointment was announced. The resignation follows the publication of emails reported by Bloomberg that appeared to show Mandelson supporting Jeffrey Epstein’s bid for early release in 2008 and continuing a friendship with Epstein after Epstein’s conviction.
Downing Street said the new messages, which it described as "reprehensible," had not been available to Mandelson or to vetting authorities because they were sent from a long-disused email account. No 10 also denied reports that Starmer ignored security advice against the appointment. Whitehall sources cited by press outlets said senior Foreign Office figures had warned against naming Mandelson to the high-profile Washington post before the December announcement.
Labour MPs described the handling of the episode as "a shambles" and criticised the timing and manner of the dismissal. Some colleagues said the episode underlined broader concerns about the prime minister’s judgment after a series of recent controversies, including the resignation last week of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Starmer had been "dithering" over the decision and urged clarity on what the prime minister and senior cabinet members knew and when. Former Conservative foreign secretary Sir James Cleverly urged publication of documents relating to Mandelson’s vetting, saying officials likely warned ministers of the reputational risks the appointment could import.
The row prompted crisis talks at No. 10, during which Starmer and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper decided to remove Mandelson. The decision was communicated to the White House after being made, officials said, less than a week before an expected state visit by former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Mandelson, who served twice in the cabinet and was an influential figure in the Labour party for decades, said in a letter to embassy staff that serving as ambassador had been "the privilege of my life" and that he felt "utterly awful" about his association with Epstein two decades ago. He said the circumstances surrounding the announcement were ones he deeply regretted.
The Bloomberg-reported messages include a remark attributed to Mandelson on the day before Epstein reported to jail in June 2008, saying, "Your friends stay with you and love you," and an exhortation for Epstein to "fight for early release." British officials have previously acknowledged Mandelson maintained contact with Epstein after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution involving a minor.
Labour sources said Morgan McSweeney, Starmer’s chief of staff, had been a strong advocate for Mandelson’s appointment. Critics within and beyond the party suggested that senior advisers pressed the case despite reservations from other ministers and officials. Downing Street has rejected suggestions that Starmer or his office concealed advice from security services.
The controversy has renewed cross-party demands for an inquiry into the vetting and appointment process, with opposition MPs calling for the release of relevant documents. A government source said ministers were considering the scope of any internal review.
The episode adds to pressures on Starmer as he seeks to shift the government’s focus to delivery in its second phase, after a difficult first year in office. It also presents a diplomatic challenge in Washington, where the presence and removal of an ambassador with established contacts — including reportedly cordial ties with some senior U.S. figures — could complicate relations ahead of high-profile engagements.
Downing Street will need to nominate a replacement ambassador and manage the domestic political fallout. Labour ministers who refused to defend the appointment publicly during the row said the issue had become a matter solely for the prime minister. Tory frontbenchers reiterated calls for transparency about what ministers and officials knew during the appointment process and for an independent examination of the circumstances that led to Mandelson’s selection and subsequent resignation.