The Conservative party has launched a political offensive against Prime Minister Keir Starmer, demanding full disclosure over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador. In a letter to the Prime Minister, the opposition has called for the immediate release of documents related to the vetting process and No. 10’s handling of the crisis.
The Tories are capitalizing on the government’s embarrassment following Mandelson’s dismissal over his encouraging emails to Jeffrey Epstein. They are questioning what information the Cabinet Office provided to the Prime Minister and why the known risks associated with Mandelson’s Epstein connection were initially dismissed.
Business Secretary Peter Kyle has maintained that the decision was a calculated one, based on public information at the time. He stated that both an independent Cabinet Office inquiry and a political process in No. 10 reviewed the appointment, concluding that Mandelson’s diplomatic skills were essential. He insists the newly revealed emails were not part of that assessment.
This defense has failed to quell the political backlash. The Conservative push for transparency aims to corner Starmer’s government, suggesting either a catastrophic failure in the vetting system or a deliberate attempt by Downing Street to overlook serious character concerns for political expediency.