Mandelson’s US ambassador role was signed off by disgraced friend who was forced out of Labour over his own links to a paedophile

A Labor aide who took over as Lord Mandelson’s US ambassador was later forced to leave the Party because of his links to a pedophile.

Dossiers released by the Government yesterday showed Prime Minister Keir Starmer played a minimal role in the appointment of Peter Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to the US, not even speaking to Mandelson personally before giving him the job.

This is despite evidence presented and warnings from senior officials that the New Labor architect’s friendship with pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein continued after he was jailed.

It has now emerged that the man who signed off on Mandelson’s influential position is none other than Sir Keir Starmer’s former communications director Lord Doyle, who was suspended from the Labor Party last month under investigation after it was revealed he campaigned on behalf of a child sex offender.

This colleague, who has been close to Lord Mandelson for more than two decades, approved Mandelson’s controversial appointment, the Telegraph reported.

The news threatens to undermine the Prime Minister, who has repeatedly claimed Lord Mandelson lied to No 10 about his links to Epstein and that he was not fully aware of his relationship with the pedophile.

Lord Doyle, one of Sir Keir’s most senior aides at the time, is also being asked to answer questions about Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein during the review process.

Last night Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch accused the Prime Minister of ‘dereliction of duty’ after No 10 admitted she did not speak to Peter Mandelson before making him US ambassador.

Lord Doyle (pictured) is currently under investigation by the Labor Party for his links to a pedophile

Downing Street said there was ‘no need’ for the Prime Minister to interview his disgraced colleague before handing him the most high-profile and sensitive post in the diplomatic service.

Kemi Badenoch said on Friday: ‘It is a complete dereliction of duty that Keir Starmer did not even meet Peter Mandelson before appointing him as Britain’s ambassador to Washington.

‘Starmer likes to tell everyone what a successful lawyer he is, but he was given a dossier clearly showing Mandelson’s close ties to Epstein and didn’t even bother to question the man he was about to appoint to high office.

‘These latest statements once again demonstrate the appalling judgment of this weak, distracted Prime Minister. The country deserves much better.’

Documents made public this week reveal the Prime Minister was warned in writing that Mandelson’s “particularly close” friendship with Epstein continued for years after the financier was convicted of child sex offenses in 2008.

But despite this, Sir Keir allowed Lord Doyle and Morgan McSweeney, then the Prime Minister’s private secretary, to manage the process from Downing Street.

Mr McSweeney resigned last month over his role in the appointment.

Mr. McSweeney stated that he asked Mandelson only three questions as part of the vetting process.

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said on Friday: ‘It is a complete dereliction of duty that Keir Starmer did not even meet Peter Mandelson before appointing him as Britain’s ambassador to Washington.’

A sensational new photo also emerged on Friday of what is thought to be Peter Mandelson’s first encounter with Jeffrey Epstein. Former peer and disgraced former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor photographed in bathrobes next to pedophile financier

Mandelson was asked to explain why he remained in contact with Epstein after the New York financier was convicted of sex crimes in 2008, why he stayed at one of Epstein’s homes and why he was involved with a charity founded by Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently in prison for child sex trafficking.

However, both men are known to be under Mandelson’s tutelage. Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said it was ‘absolute nonsense’ to leave the investigation of Mandelson’s links to Epstein to two friends.

There is no evidence that Sir Keir asked any follow-up questions, although Mandelson is said to have been staying at Epstein’s New York mansion and that the pedophile is in prison for soliciting an underage child into prostitution.

Asked whether Sir Keir spoke to Mandelson before appointing him to Washington in December 2024, the Prime Minister’s spokesman said: ‘The entire process during the appointment was followed. ‘There was no need for a formal meeting with the Prime Minister as part of this process.’

The spokesman added: ‘There are clearly lessons to be learned from this… shortcomings have been highlighted.’

Sir Keir Starmer has previously said Mandelson lied in his answers and further information about their friendship did not emerge until months later.

Mandelson denies this and says his answers during the review process were honest and not misleading. The conversation between Mr McSweeney and Lord Mandelson was not made public due to concerns it could harm the investigation.

Meanwhile, Lord Doyle, who is currently suspended from the Labor Party under investigation for his links to convicted pedophile Sean Morton, said he was ‘delighted’ with Mandelson’s answers and approved of them. Sir Keir was later told the appointment could go ahead.

Sir Keir Starmer accused of ‘dereliction of duty’ after No 10 admitted PM did not speak to Peter Mandelson before making him US ambassador

The Mandelson files also revealed that Lord Doyle socialized with Mandelson in December 2024; That same month, his appointment as ambassador was approved. The pair had been friends for decades after serving in Sir Tony Blair’s government.

Over the past few years, Lord Doyle has also attended dinners at Lord Mandelson’s now-defunct lobbying firm, Global Counsel.

In March last year Lord Doyle resigned from his Downing Street post following criticism of the Government’s communications strategy.

She was made peer for life status in December, but was later forced to resign from the Labor Party over her association with former Scottish Labor councilor Sean Morton, who admitted possessing indecent images of children in 2018 and was later convicted.

Doyle apologized ‘unreservedly’ for campaigning in support of Morton after he was charged, and said Morton maintained his innocence at the time.

Sir Keir was criticized for granting peerage to Lord Doyle despite Downing Street being aware of his connection to Morton. The No 10 inquiry into the matter was signed by Lord Doyle’s successor as communications director, Tim Allan, rather than the civil servants.

Alex Burghart, one of the Conservative Party’s leading candidates, wrote to the Prime Minister’s standards adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, asking him to investigate whether Sir Keir misled parliament on this issue.

Sir Keir told MPs last month that Lord Doyle had ‘failed to give a full explanation’ to Mr Allan about his relationship with Morton; This was a response that some have called a similar response to Mandelson’s review.

But last night Sir Laurie rejected the calls, saying he was satisfied ‘due process’ had been followed. The first batch of Mandelson files released this week showed national security adviser Jonathan Powell recommending against the appointment and complaining that it was “grotesquely rushed.”

Conservative Party justice spokesman Nick Timothy said: ‘Keir Starmer told Parliament he followed ‘full due process’ when he appointed Mandelson. ‘It is now very clear that this is not true.’

The Prime Minister has also previously said the police investigation into Lord Mandelson prevented the Government from revealing further details, including its full answers to Epstein’s questions.

Lord Mandelson is under investigation after emails emerged showing he shared confidential information about Gordon Brown’s government with Epstein. He denies any wrongdoing.

News that Sir Keir Starmer did not meet Mandelson personally before his appointment comes after a bombshell new photo emerged in the Epstein files this week.

The photo appeared to show Mandelson’s first meeting with Jeffrey Epstein, alongside disgraced former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

In the photo, thought to have been taken in the US at the turn of the century, a smiling Mandelson and Mr Mountbatten-Windsor sit barefoot and wearing a bathrobe at a table with Mr Epstein.

Labor is also facing allegations of a ‘cover-up’, with Ms Badenoch claiming key files revealing the Prime Minister’s thinking were ‘missing’ or ‘removed’.

The files include a “due diligence” document sent to Sir Keir setting out Mandelson’s connections to Epstein, as well as disclosures of two previous Cabinet resignations and details of his business links to China and Russia.

However, the area where the Prime Minister’s comments and instructions should be recorded is empty.

In a letter to the Prime Minister’s principal secretary, Darren Jones, Mr Burghart compiled a list of 56 files understood to be missing. Mr Burghart said documents were ‘about the Prime Minister’

He said that the Minister must make decisions and that failure to present them to Parliament could be a violation of the ministerial code.

Downing Street has denied claims of a cover-up. But the Prime Minister’s spokesman yesterday refused to say whether Sir Keir and key aides had been communicating through personal email accounts and phones to prevent their conversations being published.