British Prime Minister Keir Starmer revealed on Monday that he and other government officials were not informed about the clearance given to former U.S. ambassador Peter Mandelson by the Foreign Office in January 2025, despite objections from the U.K. Security Vetting agency.
Mandelson, aged 72, was dismissed in September 2025 following revelations of his close connections to the late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Starmer publicly apologized for appointing Mandelson and acknowledged his error in judgment. Criticism and calls for Starmer’s resignation have mounted due to the controversial appointment, which bypassed the failed security vetting of Mandelson.
In a recent statement, Starmer reiterated his apology to Epstein’s victims and admitted that appointing Mandelson as the U.K.’s ambassador to the U.S. was a mistake. He expressed disbelief at not being informed about Mandelson’s failed security clearance and assured that he would not have made the appointment if he had known about the vetting results.
Furthermore, Starmer announced that he has expanded the scope of the security vetting review to include the decision-making process related to national security clearance. The revelation of Mandelson’s vetting failure before assuming his post in February 2025 has intensified pressure on Starmer, whose popularity has declined since the 2024 national elections.
Regarding the handling of the situation, Starmer acknowledged the dismissal of high-ranking Foreign Office official Olly Robbins following the vetting failure disclosure. Criticism from political opponents has intensified, with accusations of dishonesty and incompetence leveled against Starmer, raising doubts about his leadership and government control.
Despite the escalating scandal and upcoming local elections anticipated to challenge Labour, no senior party members have explicitly called for Starmer’s resignation. However, leaders from various political parties, including Liberal Democrats’ Ed Davey and Conservative Party’s Kemi Badenoch, have condemned Starmer’s actions and urged accountability for the diplomatic appointment controversy. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy and Technology Minister Liz Kendall also stated that Starmer would have prevented Mandelson’s appointment if he had been aware of the security vetting failure.