PM says he has confidence in ambassador when questioned in the Commons by Lib Dem and Tory leaders

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Keir Starmer has been urged to sack Peter Mandelson as the UK’s US ambassador after more details emerged of his close friendship and business dealings with the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The prime minister was pressed on whether he knew that Mandelson, when business secretary in 2010, had reportedly allowed Epstein to help broker the sale of a UK government-owned business to a US bank – months after the financier had been released from jail in relation to his conviction for procuring a child for prostitution and soliciting a prostitute.

He said that “full due process was gone through when the appointment was made”, although Mandelson added on Tuesday night that he had not discussed the matter with the prime minister.