Prime Minister Keir Starmer has taken responsibility for the appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US, while blaming Foreign Office officials for withholding critical information regarding Peter Mandelson security vetting.
- Foreign Office officials granted Mandelson security clearance despite a specific recommendation from the UK Security Vetting (UKSV) to deny it.
- Mandelson was sacked in September 2025 after emails revealed he lied during the initial due diligence process regarding his links to Jeffrey Epstein.
- Former Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Office Olly Robbins was forced out of his position following the revelation that the department overruled the security vetting decision.
The Vetting Timeline
In a statement to MPs on Monday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer provided a detailed timeline of Mandelson’s appointment. The process began in December 2024 with a Cabinet Office due diligence exercise, leading to Starmer’s decision to appoint Mandelson on December 18, 2024.
Mandelson was publicly announced as the ambassador on December 20, 2024. Security vetting by the UKSV began shortly after, on December 23, and continued through January 2025. Mandelson officially began his role on January 25, 2025.
Overruled Security Clearances
On January 28, 2025, the UKSV recommended that developed vetting clearance be denied to Mandelson. However, the following day, officials at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) made the decision to grant the clearance regardless.
Starmer told the Commons that while UKSV decisions are binding for many departments, the final decision on developed vetting clearance for the FCDO rests with Foreign Office officials. The Prime Minister asserted that he was not informed that Mandelson had failed the initial vetting.
Sacking and Official Fallout
The appointment ended on September 11, 2025, when Starmer sacked Mandelson. The dismissal occurred after Bloomberg released emails showing Mandelson had lied during the due diligence process, specifically regarding his communications with Jeffrey Epstein.
Subsequent revelations in April 2026 indicated that former Permanent Secretary Olly Robbins, Cabinet Secretary Antonia Romeo, and another top civil servant failed to immediately notify the Prime Minister that Mandelson should have been denied clearance.
Starmer has since ordered an investigation into security concerns related to Mandelson’s tenure. He maintained that he would not have hired Mandelson had he been informed of the failed security clearance, stating there is no law preventing civil servants from flagging such recommendations to ministers.
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