Starmer refuses to say if he spoke to Peter Mandelson before ambassador appointment
Sir Keir Starmer has repeatedly failed to say whether he spoke to Peter Mandelson during the disgraced peer’s appointment process for the US ambassador role.
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At Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch pressed the PM on whether he met with Mandelson before naming him to Britain’s most important ambassadorial role.
“The Prime Minister tried to avoid scrutiny on the Mandelson files by releasing the documents immediately after Prime Minister’s Questions last week,” Ms Badenoch said.
“So let me ask him now, did the Prime Minister personally speak to Peter Mandelson about his relationship with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein before appointing him as our ambassador to Washington?”
The Prime Minister replied: “Let me start where I must. This was my mistake in making the appointment, and I’ve apologised to the victims of Epstein, I do so again. The Government is complying with the humble address in full, but we are also continuing to support the police in their investigation.
“The matter of process was looked at by the independent adviser on ministerial standards. It’s clear the appointment process wasn’t strong enough, and that’s why I’ve already strengthened it.
“But it was my mistake, and I’ve apologised for it. She should follow suit and apologise for her gross error of judgment in calling for the UK to join the war in Iran without thinking through the consequences.”
Ms Badenoch retorted: “I know he doesn’t want to talk about the documents he tried to bury last week, he’s going to try and talk about anything else, but he’s not going to get away with it,”
“I asked him a question, he did not answer. We know the Prime Minister was warned about the risk of appointing Peter Mandelson. This is not about the process.
“He knew that Mandelson stayed in Epstein’s house after Epstein had been convicted for child prostitution. He knew that. So I will ask him again, did he speak to Peter Mandelson about this before the appointment? Yes or no?”
The Prime Minister replied: “I’ve already made clear that he was asked questions and gave untruthful replies. The Government is complying with the humble address. the process has been set out, the independent adviser has looked at it, and he said, quote ‘the relevant process for a political appointee was followed’.
“Now, obviously this is a question of my judgment, but what about her judgment? She wanted to rush into a war with Iran without thinking it through.”
Ms Badenoch went on to accuse the PM of “failing to do his duty” by allegedly not speaking to Mandelson during the appointment.
She said: “He has repeatedly told us that Peter Mandelson lied to him, but he won’t tell us if he actually picked up the phone and spoke to Mandelson before appointing him.
“This doesn’t make any sense. The Prime Minister told us on the record, and I quote, I believed the lies he told me. If the Prime Minister didn’t speak to him, how can he say he lied to him?”
Sir Keir replied: “The process is clear. It’s been looked at by the independent adviser.”