UK's Starmer to face parliament over Mandelson scandal

• UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing lawmakers to answer questions about the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador.
• Mandelson, who had known ties to Jeffrey Epstein, was given the job despite failing security checks.
• Starmer claims he did not know about the failed security checks and blames Foreign Office officials.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is preparing to face tough questions from lawmakers in parliament on Monday. He is trying to calm public anger over a major scandal involving Peter Mandelson, the former UK ambassador to Washington and a long-time associate of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Failed security checks

The controversy grew last week when it was revealed that Mandelson became Britain's envoy to the US last year despite failing his security vetting.

Starmer, who is already facing low approval ratings from the public and his own party, has faced fresh calls to resign. However, he insists that he and other top ministers were only told about the failed security checks last week.

The prime minister called the situation "unforgivable." His spokesman told reporters on Monday that if Starmer had known about the failed checks, he clearly would not have given Mandelson the job.

The spokesman added that Starmer plans to share all the information and explain what happened during his statement to parliament.

Read more: Second batch of Jeffrey Epstein’s contact list revealed

Pointing fingers at officials

Starmer has blamed officials at the Foreign Office for allowing the appointment to happen against the advice of security experts. On Thursday, he fired the department's top civil servant, Olly Robbins.

Former government workers accuse Starmer of using Robbins as a scapegoat. Robbins is expected to tell his side of the story to a parliamentary committee on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, opposition leaders are demanding that Starmer step down, accusing him of either incompetence or lying to the public. In February, Starmer had told lawmakers that "full due process" was followed for Mandelson's appointment.

His office says this statement is technically true because government rules allowed the Foreign Office to overrule security concerns without telling the prime minister.

Senior ministers are defending Starmer. Scotland Secretary Douglas Alexander said Monday that the government originally thought an "unconventional ambassador" was needed for the "unconventional" Trump administration. "That judgement was wrong and the prime minister accepts that," Alexander said.

Investigation and upcoming elections

Starmer fired Mandelson in September 2025 after more details came out about his deep ties to Epstein.

UK police are now investigating Mandelson, 72, for alleged misconduct in office from his time as a minister over 15 years ago. He was arrested and released in February. Mandelson denies any criminal wrongdoing and has not been charged.

The ongoing scandal comes at a difficult time for Starmer and his Labour Party. They are preparing for tough local elections next month, including votes for the Scottish and Welsh parliaments.

Public opinion remains divided; while some voters demand his immediate resignation, others believe he should stay in power to handle major global issues like the Middle East war and relations with the European Union.