British PM Starmer faces Parliament over Mandelson vetting as resignation demands swirl

LONDON – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will address Parliament on April 20, facing calls for his resignation over his handling of the appointment of Mr Peter Mandelson – a senior figure in his ruling Labour party – as US ambassador, though it emerged he had failed a vetting process.

Mr Mandelson, 72, was sacked as ambassador in September 2025 following revelations about the depth of his ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with Mr Starmer apologising for appointing him in the first place.

But on April 16, new information came to light which showed Mr Mandelson had failed a security vetting process carried out before he was appointed, heaping pressure on the beleaguered Prime Minister whose popularity has sunk since he won a huge majority for Labour at a national election in 2024.

Top official sacked

Mr Starmer, who had previously told Parliament all due process had been followed over Mr Mandelson, has said it was unforgivable he was not told about the vetting failure until last week. Top Foreign Office official Olly Robbins was consequently sacked.

Mr Starmer said he would “set out the relevant facts” to lawmakers on April 20, while Mr Robbins is due to give evidence in front of a parliamentary committee on April 21.

However, Mr Starmer’s opponents have accused the Prime Minister of lying and incompetence, and say his job is no longer tenable.

Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey said Mr Starmer had shown “catastrophic misjudgment”, while main opposition Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said that, at best, Mr Starmer had been recklessly negligent.

Appointment ‘insulted Epstein’s victims’

“This has been a tawdry and shaming affair for you and your party, and for this country," Ms Badenoch said in a letter sent to the Prime Minister on April 19.

“Not only have you damaged our relationship with the United States and insulted the victims of the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but you have also undermined our national security by giving the highest diplomatic post to an individual that the security services found to be of ‘high concern’.”

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said on April 19 that if Mr Starmer had known Mr Mandelson had failed the vetting, he would not have appointed him even though Mr Mandelson had already been chosen to be the next ambassador.

“There is no way that he would have proceeded with that. Whatever the so-called embarrassment, he would have thought that was wrong, and he would not have done it,” Ms Kendall told Sky News. REUTERS