Key facts
- A parliamentary committee recommended that political appointees to diplomatic posts should be subject to a veto by MPs.
- The committee described Peter Mandelson's appointment as ambassador to Washington as "disastrous" and "highly damaging."
- The committee was not allowed to question Mandelson before his appointment.
- The Foreign Office reportedly overruled the security vetting agency's recommendation against awarding Mandelson high-level security clearance.
- The committee recommended that public appointments should not be announced until security clearance is granted.
- The committee criticized record-keeping by the Foreign Office and Downing Street.
A parliamentary committee has recommended that political appointments to ambassadorial roles should be subject to a veto by MPs, following a critical review of Peter Mandelson's appointment as Britain's top diplomat in Washington.
The cross-party foreign affairs select committee concluded that Mandelson's appointment was "nothing short of disastrous," "highly damaging" for the British government, and "painful and offensive to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein." Mandelson, a figure of the Labour party, was dismissed after email exchanges with Epstein emerged.
The committee, chaired by Labour MP Emily Thornberry, was not given the opportunity to question Mandelson before his appointment. Given the negative outcome, the committee now argues that all political appointees to diplomatic posts should appear before them and be subject to a veto. The committee also criticized the government for providing "partial truths" and poor record-keeping.
Further revelations indicated that the Foreign Office had overruled the recommendation of the UK’s security vetting agency, which had concerns about Mandelson's associations and a £1m loan. Despite these concerns, Mandelson's appointment was announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, with approval from the US government and King Charles.
The committee recommended that public appointments should not be announced until security clearance is granted. They also criticized the dismissal of Olly Robbins, the head of the Foreign Office, suggesting it was done without full due process. Robbins had decided to give Mandelson security clearance with "mitigations" on a "borderline" finding by vetting officials.