Starmer “outraged” over Mandelson appointment amid Epstein case controversy

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has strongly criticised the handling of the issue over Peter Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to the United States after it emerged that he had not passed a security clearance check.

Speaking in an interview with BFM, Starmer said he was not informed that Mandelson had failed the security clearance.

“The fact that I was not informed that he had failed the security clearance, while I told Parliament that the proper procedure had been followed, is unforgivable,” he said.

According to him, not only was he not informed, but no minister was informed.

“And I am absolutely outraged,” he added, noting, “I intend to go to Parliament on Monday to set out all the relevant facts in full transparency, so that Parliament gets the complete picture.

In related developments, it was previously reported that UK Permanent Under-Secretary of the Foreign Office Oliver Robbins resigned over the alleged concealment of vetting results concerning Mandelson.

Mandelson was sacked from the post amid revelations about his long-standing personal friendship with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov