Sir Keir Starmer should face “serious consequences” if he has not been honest about what he knew regarding Lord Peter Mandelson’s relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, the Conservative leader has said.
Kemi Badenoch said the row over the now-sacked US ambassador was a “complete disaster” for the Prime Minister and risks “overshadowing” US President Donald Trump’s state visit.
Her comments came ahead of a three-hour emergency debate in the Commons on Tuesday, in which MPs will look at what Sir Keir knew about Lord Mandelson’s friendship with financier Epstein.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Secretary suggested her department was not responsible for any failure to recognise risks in the appointment of Lord Mandelson to the Washington job.
The Foreign Office was not asked to contribute to a due diligence process ahead of the decision, nor were any concerns raised with the department about the peer, Yvette Cooper said, amid questions about the vetting process.
Her comments are likely to pile pressure on the Cabinet Office, No 10 and Sir Keir for their role in deciding the Labour grandee was suitable for the position.
In a letter, Ms Cooper said: “The propriety and ethics team in the Cabinet Office conducted a due diligence process, prior to the announcement of Peter Mandelson’s appointment on 20 December 2024 at the request of No 10.
“The FCDO was not asked to contribute to that process and no issues were raised with the FCDO as a result of this process. This was not a security check.
“After Peter Mandelson’s appointment was announced, which started the ambassadorial appointment process, including national security vetting, in advance of him taking up his post.”
Asked if security concerns about Lord Mandelson’s appointment were dismissed during the process, Ms Cooper replied: “We do not comment on individual national security vetting cases in line with long established practice. It is not a process which involves No 10.”
The urgent debate in the Commons could provide an opportunity for Labour MPs to openly express their discontent with Sir Keir’s judgment in the affair.
Ahead of the debate, Ms Badenoch called for “serious consequences” if the Prime Minister had not been honest about what he knew about Lord Mandelson’s friendship with Epstein.
She told GB News: “I think that there should be serious consequences if you have lied to Parliament.
“On his own benchmark, I remember Keir Starmer going after Boris Johnson and setting a standard. All I’m asking is that he meet the very same standard which he was setting for other people.”
She also told broadcasters in central London: “I think the Mandelson fallout does risk overshadowing the state visit.
“This should have been a visit strengthening UK-US relations.
“But because of Keir Starmer’s bad judgment appointing Peter Mandelson it appears, according to newspaper reports, against security concerns, having to lose him because of his close friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
“I think that this has been a complete disaster for Keir Starmer.”
Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick has called on Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy to apologise to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein over the appointment of Lord Mandelson as US ambassador.
