Yvette Cooper expresses anger at Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has expressed her “outrage” over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to Washington DC, saying he “should never have been appointed”.
His comments come at a time when the Labor government is facing serious internal scrutiny, with senior figures questioning the perceived “boys’ club” culture at No 10.
The senior Cabinet minister’s remarks follow a series of controversies that have reportedly “shaked” the Prime Minister’s authority.
These include the appointment of Lord Mandelson and Lord Matthew Doyle, both of whom have been linked to sex offenders, three separate departures from Downing Street and calls for the Prime Minister to resign Scottish Labor leader Anas Sarwar.
speaking on BBC Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg Ms. Cooper directly addressed suggestions of a problematic culture on the show. “I actually feel like I’m really angry about some of the problems we’ve had, look, Peter Mandelson should never have been appointed,” he said. “Obviously we’ve had debates in Westminster, but really the real focus should be on (Jeffrey) Epstein’s victims and also the work the Labor Government is doing to tackle violence against women and girls.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer used his platform at the Munich Security Conference to find solutions to domestic problems and stressed that he was “ending the week much stronger than when he started it”. He also confirmed to The Sun On Sunday his intention to lead Labor at the next general election, despite internal calls for him to stand down from the party.
During his speech at the international meeting, Sir Keir launched a sharp attack on the defense credentials of the Green Party and Reform UK.
He warned in a statement as both parties were running against Labor’s majority in the Gorton and Denton by-elections that “the lights will go out once again across Europe” if either party comes to power.
When questioned on Sky News Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips As for whether these attacks on political rivals indicate she is “shaken” by her popularity in opinion polls, Ms Cooper dismissed the idea. “I certainly don’t think that’s the case,” the Secretary of State responded.
“The partnerships Keir Starmer has built with other leaders, the work we do together, is extremely important. What I see here at the Munich Security Conference is the respect for the UK, for the Prime Minister for the work he has done and the leadership he has shown.”
