Sir Keir Starmer has rejected growing calls to sack the UK’s ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, over his dealings with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The prime minister is facing increasing pressure over his controversial pick to lead the UK’s diplomatic efforts in the US, after further details emerged of the now Lord Mandelson’s previous close friendship with the disgraced former banker.
They include claims that Epstein brokered a deal involving Mr Mandelson, then the business secretary, in relation to the sale of a taxpayer-owned business, after Epstein had been convicted of child sex offences, and Mr Mandelson writing a 50th birthday message to the paedophile, who died in 2019, in which he described him as his “best pal”.
Angry Labour MPs have today joined calls for him to go. Breaking ranks, Labour deputy leadership hopeful Bell Ribeiro-Addy called for an investigation by Sir Keir’s ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus, saying: “There will be a huge amount of concern, and if the outcome is that he should resign, he should.”
Ian Byrne, who had the Labour whip restored in February after being suspended following a vote on the two-child benefit cap, told The Independent: “MPs get suspended by the party, like I did, for voting against putting children and disabled people into poverty, but calling the world’s most infamous paedophile and child-trafficker your ‘best pal’, amongst other comments, that’s OK! It stinks to high heaven.”
And Liverpool Riverside MP Kim Johnson told The Telegraph: “As much as he says on the radio that he regrets it, the fact is that he called him his ‘best pal’ in his birthday card; he made money from him. That suggests to me a very strong relationship, because who sends cards with those comments on? He should never have got [the job] in the first place.”
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch ruthlessly used her six questions at Prime Minister’s Questions to tackle Sir Keir on the latest scandal to rock his government, just days after his former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner was forced to quit over her tax affairs.
Ms Badenoch challenged Sir Keir in the Commons after new details of Lord Mandelson’s previous links with the convicted paedophile Epstein – including damaging photographs of them together – emerged.
The Telegraph also reported that Epstein advised the then Mr Mandelson and senior JPMorgan executive Jes Staley on the bank’s purchase of Sempra Commodities, a joint venture between the publicly owned Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Sempra Energy, only months after Epstein was released from prison. The Independent has asked Lord Mandelson for comment.
Mr Staley has since been banned from the City for misleading the Financial Conduct Authority over his relationship with Epstein.
The Tory leader claimed that Lord Mandelson is “mired in scandal” and should step down. But Sir Keir gave his full backing to the beleaguered ambassador, saying: “I have confidence in him – he is doing an important job.”
Earlier, Britain’s ambassador to Washington said he was “very embarrassed” to read a birthday message to the late paedophile in which he described him as his “best pal”.
The message, part of a 50th birthday book compiled for Epstein by Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently in jail for sex trafficking, also saw Mr Mandelson express “love” for the financier and joke about entertaining his “interesting” friends.
Speaking to The Sun’s Harry Cole on his YouTube channel, Lord Mandelson said: “I find them very embarrassing to see and to read… but, as you say, they were written before he was indicted. I just feel two things now. One, I feel a tremendous sense, a profound sense of sympathy for those people, those women, who suffered as a result of his behaviour and his illegal criminal activities.
“And secondly, I regret, very, very deeply indeed, carrying on that association with him for far longer than I should have done. It was a matter of years after I initially met him, and I regret very much that I fell for his lies.”
But the episode has once again called into question Sir Keir’s judgement over his key appointments.
The Independent revealed in January that US president Donald Trump was considering rejecting Lord Mandelson’s credentials as the UK’s ambassador to Washington over his close links to China.
A massive diplomatic push by Sir Keir’s team, alongside a grovelling apology by the Labour peer on Fox News over his past criticisms of Mr Trump, appeared to end the problem, and Lord Mandelson spoke of his relief when he was finally appointed.
PMQs opened with Tory MP Dr Luke Evans reminding the prime minister that he had lost a minister for homelessness, Rushanara Ali, for making people homeless; an anti-corruption minister, Tulip Siddiq, who is being investigated for corruption; and a housing secretary, Angela Rayner, because she failed to pay enough stamp duty on her second home.
The latest Epstein revelations could not have come at a worse time, with President Trump set to hold his state visit to the UK next week, the high point in careful diplomatic manoeuvres by the Starmer government.
Sensing the crisis in government, Ms Badenoch pushed hard on the subject.
She said: “A Nato country has just had to defend itself against Russian drones. Now more than ever, we need our ambassador to Washington fully focused on this issue and liaising closely with America. Does the prime minister have full confidence in Peter Mandelson?”
The prime minister replied: “Let me start by saying the victims of Epstein are at the forefront of our minds. He was a despicable criminal who committed the most heinous crimes and destroyed the lives of so many women and girls.
“The ambassador has repeatedly expressed his deep regret for his association with him. He is right to do so. I have confidence in him, and he is playing an important role in the UK-US relationship.”
But Ms Badenoch repeatedly pressed an increasingly evasive Sir Keir on the vetting process and what the government knew of Lord Mandelson’s past activities.
The prime minister insisted that due process had been followed, and after PMQs his official spokesperson continued to point reporters to the “extensive vetting” of Lord Mandelson as well as his previous comments on his association with the paedophile financier.
“All I’m saying is that the association has been a matter of public record for some time, and the ambassador himself has repeatedly addressed questions on it,” the official said.
The spokesperson said that the vetting process is fit for purpose, and that the prime minister retains full confidence in Lord Mandelson.
