LONDON (AP) — His poll ratings are dismal and rivals are eyeing his job. Now British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces more embarrassment on Monday with the publication of hundreds of pages of files about former U.K. ambassador to Washington Peter Mandelson, a friend of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.The government complied with a demand by lawmakers to release documents related to Mandelson’s appointment to, and conduct in, the U.K.’s most important diplomatic post.Among the more than 1,000 pages of documents is a note from Mandelson to then-Foreign Secretary David Lammy before his appointment pledging the government would “never regret” giving him the job.Mandelson was fired after nine months, and fallout from the misjudged appointment has left Starmer fighting for his job.A first trove of files published in March revealed ministers had been warned that Mandelson’s friendship with Epstein exposed the government to “reputational risk.”
It later was disclosed that Mandelson had been approved for the ambassador’s job despite failing security checks, a revelation that sparked bitter blame-trading between Starmer and senior civil servants who oversaw the security vetting.
4 MIN READ
