Starmer was briefed on Mandelson’s links to Epstein before US ambassador appointment, MPs told
Sir Keir Starmer was briefed on details of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with pedophilia financier Jeffrey Epstein before making him US ambassador, a select committee has heard.
The Prime Minister was said to have received a Cabinet Office report that referred to the “reputational risks” of appointing Lord Mandelson and included his “previous resignations as a minister” and “previous dealings with Jeffrey Epstein”.
Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald told the Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday: “This section contained direct quotes from media reports and notes on general reputational risk.”
Sir Chris stated that the decision on whether to make an appointment rests with the Prime Minister.
Lord Mandelson was sacked a day after the Prime Minister told MPs on September 10 that he retained confidence in him despite concerns about his relationship with Epstein.
Lord Mandelson’s ties to Epstein were known when he was appointed, but emails later emerged in which he told the pedophile financier to “fight for early release” shortly before he was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Lord Mandelson also reportedly told Epstein: “I think I’m thinking about you” the day before the sex offender began his sentence for soliciting prostitution from a minor in June 2008.
FCDO permanent under-secretary Sir Oliver Robbins said a “process” was being carried out within the Cabinet Office to ensure the Prime Minister was informed about Lord Mandelson and “issues surrounding his appointment”.
“There was then a process to address conflicts of interest, overseen by the employer’s department… and actually in parallel to that process, we also went through the standard UK national security review process for DV. [developed vetting].
“Therefore, I think that one of the processes in which we can easily say that the relationship with Jeffrey Epstein came to light was the first of these processes.”
He added: “We are not at liberty to say whether this will come up in the national security investigation process.”
Sir Oliver said Lord Mandelson “did not undertake a national security review at the time of his appointment, but as is normally the case with external appointments to my department and the wider civil service, the appointment was subject to security clearance.”
He said Lord Mandelson had completed the conflict of interest form but that it did not include “friendships” because “what this form is aimed at is not some kind of conflict of reputation”.
Sir Chris said this process had changed since Lord Mandelson’s dismissal.
He added: “The matter that led to Lord Mandelson’s withdrawal from Washington was information that was not available to us at the time of due diligence.”
“There are two issues here. There is the process, and as I said, we believe the process can be improved, and in fact we have improved it. Then there is the information that was available at the time.”
“Lord Mandelson’s connections [Epstein] It was flagged in a due diligence exercise carried out by the Cabinet Office.
MPs have pressed the Cabinet Office to reveal information available to the Prime Minister, who told the House of Commons he trusted Lord Peter Mandelson before he was sacked.
Sir Chris said he would consider requests for more information contained in the due diligence report on the former British ambassador to the US.
During the select committee he was repeatedly pressed to reveal details in the report given to Sir Keir ahead of Lord Mandelson’s appointment in February, and was also challenged over the timing of the information given to the Prime Minister when the scandal broke.
The Cabinet Secretary refused to provide information on the contents of the report, including whether it referred to the emails in question, but insisted that all known details be given to the prime minister.
Sir Keir said it was regrettable that he was not informed of the new information before addressing MPs on the issue.
Sir Oliver confirmed that the department and Number 10 were aware of the emails ahead of Prime Minister’s Questions on September 10.
Committee chair Emily Thornberry asked Sir Chris to provide the committee with a list of separate reports given to the Prime Minister regarding Lord Mandelson’s relationship with Mr Epstein.
In response, he said: “I’m happy to put that question aside and see if there’s anything else we can share.”
Sir Oliver confirmed his department had received a media inquiry from Bloomberg about the emails.
When asked why the emails were not reported to the Prime Minister before Prime Minister’s Questions, he said: “We received the material. We asked some questions about this material, which the Prime Minister commented on in his public statements.
“I can’t say exactly what he saw at what point… but Chris and I were in constant communication about this and I was briefing the Secretary of State.”
