UK: Ministers united in defending Starmer after Mandelson case

London (United Kingdom), 19 Apr. (LaPresse/AP) – Top British government ministers have come out in support of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose leadership is faltering following the appointment of Peter Mandelson, a scandal-ridden politician and friend of Jeffrey Epstein, as ambassador to the US. Starmer will face impatient MPs tomorrow to defend his post following the sensational revelation about Mandelson’s appointment, despite failing security. Starmer said he was “furious” that he had not been informed, at the time, in January 2025, that a thorough vetting process had advised against giving Mandelson the job and the Foreign Office had ignored it. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said that if Starmer had known, “he would never, ever have appointed him ambassador.” Technology Minister Liz Kendall told Sky News on Sunday that Starmer “is a man of integrity and would never have proceeded” with Mandelson’s appointment had he known about it. The Foreign Ministry’s top official, Olly Robbins, was forced to resign on Thursday, although his allies argue he was simply doing his job and was made a scapegoat. Robbins is expected to give his side of the story to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday.