UK opposition leaders have called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign after the government confirmed that an associate of Jeffrey Epstein failed a background security check before becoming envoy to Washington.
Starmer has faced repeated questions about his judgment in appointing Peter Mandelson, who was sacked last year only months into the post over his ties to the late convicted US sex offender Epstein.
The opposition renewed calls for Starmer’s resignation after an investigation by The Guardian newspaper discovered Mandelson had failed an initial background check — later confirmed by the government.
Opposition right-wing Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch wrote on X that “Starmer has betrayed our national security. He should go”.
Leader of the centrist Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey, wrote on X: “If Keir Starmer has misled Parliament and lied to the British people, he has to go.”
The prime minister has accused Mandelson of lying about the extent of his ties to Epstein during the vetting process for his Washington posting.
A government spokesperson said that foreign ministry officials made the decision to allow Mandelson’s appointment to proceed “against the recommendation of UK Security Vetting”.
But the spokesperson said neither Starmer nor the foreign minister “was aware” of this “until earlier this week”.
The recommendation of UK Security Vetting was not binding, the spokesperson added.
Starmer said in February that Mandelson had been cleared by security vetting.
In March, Starmer’s Labour government released about 150 pages of details of how Mandelson, a friend of Epstein, was vetted before being appointed ambassador in 2024.
Starmer sacked Mandelson as ambassador after documents released by a US Congressional committee revealed new details about the depth of his ties to Epstein.
Police have opened an investigation into allegations of misconduct in office by Mandelson, who was arrested and bailed in February.
The force is investigating Mandelson over allegations he leaked sensitive documents to Epstein when he was a government minister, including during the 2008 financial crash.