UK PM Starmer acknowledges past error, rejects calls for resignation

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer Admits Mistake in Appointing Mandelson as Ambassador

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has acknowledged that appointing Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington was a mistake, but he rejected calls for his resignation. In a statement to the UK Parliament on Monday, Starmer stated that he would have withdrawn the decision if he had known that security officials had recommended against giving the job to Mandelson due to his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Starmer denied misleading parliament and placed the blame on the Foreign Office, stating that it was “beggaring belief” that officials withheld information from senior ministers. He claimed that due process was followed in the appointment, which was announced in December 2024, with Mandelson taking up the post in February 2025.

The controversy surrounding Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein has led to the resignation of several high-ranking officials, including former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney and top Foreign Office civil servant Olly Robbins. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch criticized Starmer for failing to take responsibility, saying that it was how he faced up to mistakes that showed his character as a leader.

The scandal has raised questions about Starmer’s judgment, with the prime minister claiming he only found out about the overruling of the vetting decision last week. The issue is expected to have an impact on upcoming local elections, where Labour is predicted to suffer heavy losses.

Source: Al Jazeera