Growing criticism of Starmer – now he is being questioned

TT

Published 12.38

         

         British Prime Minister Keir Starmer leaves 10 Downing Street. Picture from Monday. Photo:                       Alastair Grant/AP/TT

The row over Keir Starmer's appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States is growing. On Wednesday, another hearing of the Prime Minister will be held in the British Parliament.

Weekly hearings, Prime Minister's Questions, occur every Wednesday. But now it takes place the day after Olly Robbins, a former senior official in the British Foreign Office, accused Downing Street of adopting a "rejecting attitude" and "constant pressure" regarding the appointment of the country's former ambassador Peter Mandelson.

Peter Mandelson was nominated for the position in Washington on 20 December 2024 – despite knowledge of his links to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Mandelson was dismissed on 11 September 2025 after email correspondence with Epstein was published. The opposition demanded Keir Starmer’s resignation even then, and since then questions about Starmer’s handling have only increased.

In early March this year, internal government documents were published, and on 16 April it was revealed that Peter Mandelson was appointed despite the Foreign Office knowing that he had failed the internal security check. Prime Minister Starmer claims that the concerns about Mandelson did not reach him.

Critical voices within Starmer’s own Labour party have been raised, but a change of leadership now would be very untimely – in three weeks there will be elections for the regional parliaments in Wales and Scotland, as well as local elections across England.