British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the United Kingdom's ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, at a reception at the ambassador's residence in Washington, on February 26, 2025. « LE MONDE » D’APRES CARL COURT/AP
Keir Starmer has yet to put an end to the highly ill-advised decision, at the start of 2025, to appoint Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States. The British leader once again found himself in a precarious position, just three weeks before crucial local elections on May 7. Leaders of the main opposition parties, including Reform UK and the Conservative Party, called for his resignation following revelations published by the Guardian on Thursday, April 16.
According to the left-wing daily, Mandelson, a former minister under Tony Blair and architect of "New Labour," failed in January 2025 to obtain his security clearance as part of his application for the most high-profile post in British diplomacy. But since Starmer had already made his appointment official, the Foreign Office ignored the decision and sent him to the United States anyway, reported the Guardian.
In Paris, where he was presiding alongside Emmanuel Macron over a meeting of countries wishing to contribute to securing the Strait of Hormuz, Starmer reacted sharply on Friday, calling it "unforgivable" and "staggering" that he had not been kept informed of Mandelson's failed security clearance.
