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Starmer ‘furious’ as Mandelson vetting revelation spurs calls for resignation

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by Sophie Brams - 04/17/26 12:38 PM ET

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by Sophie Brams - 04/17/26 12:38 PM ET

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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Friday that he was “furious” that he did not know former Labour Party minister Peter Mandelson failed his security vetting before becoming the United Kingdom’s top diplomat in Washington.

The Guardian reported a day earlier that Mandelson was initially denied clearance in early 2025 after undergoing a highly confidential background check, citing multiple sources. The recommendation was complicated by the fact that Starmer had already announced Mandelson’s appointment as the U.K. ambassador to the United States.

The newspaper’s investigation determined that the country’s Foreign Office moved to overrule the decision of security officials, paving the way for Mandelson to begin the role in February of that year.

The revelation spurred calls for Starmer, who was already facing political pressure over the appointment due to Mandelson’s ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, to resign.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said the prime minister should resign if he misled Parliament about Mandelson’s vetting, writing on social platform X that Starmer had “betrayed our national security.”

Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, also called on Starmer to step down if he “lied to the British people” and Parliament.

“We already know he showed catastrophic political misjudgment in appointing Mandelson to be the U.K.’s ambassador to America. He was relying on the vetting process as his defense. It looks like the vetting process was ignored. This is hugely serious, and I think he will probably have to go,” Davey said in a video on X.

Starmer has maintained that “due process” was followed in the appointment, denying on Friday morning that he knew Mandelson had failed vetting. He also fired Olly Robbins, the top official in the Foreign Office, on Friday night.

“That I wasn’t told that he had failed security vetting when I was telling parliament that due process had been followed is unforgivable,” the prime minister said, according to The Guardian. “Not only was I not told, no minister was told, and I’m absolutely furious about that.”

His comments echoed the response issued by Downing Street on Thursday, which stated that “Neither the Prime Minister, nor any Government Minister, was aware that Peter Mandelson was granted Developed Vetting against the advice of UK Security Vetting until earlier this week.”

“Once the Prime Minister was informed he immediately instructed officials to establish the facts about why the Developed Vetting was granted, in order to enact plans to update the House of Commons,” the statement continued.

Mandelson was fired as the U.K. ambassador last September amid scrutiny over his alleged ties to Epstein as documents released by the U.S. Justice Department showed he maintained a supportive relationship with the disgraced financier even after he was jailed for sex offenses.

The former diplomat has denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein but resigned from his seat in Parliament in early February to avoid causing “further embarrassment” after details emerged alleging he received payments from the disgraced financier two decades ago.

The ex-ambassador was arrested later that month on suspicion of misconduct charges, likely related to allegations that he shared sensitive government information with Epstein while serving in the House of Lords.

Starmer apologized to Epstein’s victims in early February for the appointment and for having believed Mandelson’s “lies.”

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