Melissa Clarke: The leadership of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under pressure as the fallout over the appointment and subsequent sacking of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington widens. A senior civil servant was blamed and fired for not informing the Prime Minister Mandelson had failed to pass security vetting. But the controversy has emboldened critics of Keir Starmer, who was already under political pressure. Stephanie Smail reports.

Stephanie Smail: The probe into how Labor power broker Peter Mandelson was appointed the British ambassador to the US, despite concerns about his past, continues. And the now former Foreign Office boss says there was pressure to make it happen, coming from the top.

Sir Olly Robbins : I’m afraid I walked into a situation in which there was already a very, very strong expectation coming from number 10 that he needed to be in post and in America as quickly as humanly possible.

Stephanie Smail: Sir Olly Robbins was sacked last week after it emerged his department had granted Lord Mandelson security clearance in January 2025. Lord Mandelson formally took up the role the following month, but was sacked seven months later over his ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Sir Ollie has told the UK Parliament number 10 Downing Street wanted Peter Mandelson in the post before Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Sir Olly Robbins : So I’m afraid what that translated into for my team in the Foreign Office and certainly the handover briefing I was getting as I arrived at post was what I felt was a generally dismissive attitude to his vetting clearance. The focus was on getting Mandelson out to Washington quickly.

Stephanie Smail: Sir Olly has pointed out that regardless of that pressure, his department completed the vetting process to the normal high standard. He explains Lord Mandelson was considered a borderline case and officials were leaning towards denying clearance, but the Foreign Office security department ruled that the risks could be managed or mitigated.

Sir Olly Robbins : I was also told that the risks did not relate to Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and that I was told that UKSV acknowledged, I don’t know in what way, but acknowledged that the Foreign Office might wish to grant clearance with appropriate risk management.

Stephanie Smail: Sir Keir Starmer says even after Peter Mandelson was sacked over new revelations about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, he was not told about the vetting results. But the Prime Minister’s judgement is under scrutiny after backing a man with a troubled and colourful past with public links to China, Russia and Epstein. In response to Conservative MP Afra Brandis, Sir Ollie Robbins has echoed questions about Sir Keir’s judgement.

Sir Olly Robbins : I regret that this process was not done before announcement. I regret that the due diligence process, which threw up, as I understand it, serious reputational risks didn’t colour the Prime Minister’s judgement in making the appointment.

Stephanie Smail: The full political impact from the Washington appointment, particularly on Sir Keir Starmer, is still unclear. Former advisor to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, John McTernan, doubts he will be dumped as leader yet, but says his party will take a hit.

John McTernan : The appointment was the terrible mistake, the appointment was the original sin and the Labor Party is going to be punished badly at the polls in May for that.

Melissa Clarke: Former Prime Ministerial advisor John McTernan ending that report by Stephanie Smail.