Starmer was urged by Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey, a long-standing critic of the U.S. president, to quiz Trump about Epstein when he meets him this week.
Trump “probably is rather embarrassed about his relationship with Epstein,” observed Edward Leigh, a long-serving senior Conservative MP, adding the U.S. president “must be absolutely furious.”
Leigh added that Trump must think “we in this country are complete plonkers, frankly, for the way that we have handled all this,” noting that the experienced career diplomat Karen Pierce had been swept aside for Mandelson, who was controversially given the job as a political appointment.
Be prepared
While the headlines are inconvenient, Trump’s exposure to potential political curveballs had already been limited by those who organized his trip.
A Downing Street official said the visit had been “months in the planning” and that there would be no change in approach following Mandelson’s sacking.
Trump is being hosted by King Charles III at Windsor Castle 25 miles from London as MPs leave Westminster for a parliamentary recess. Trump will not address the parliament, avoiding the potential embarrassment of British lawmakers calling for a boycott.