No way to raise Mandelson concerns, former senior official says
Summary
A former senior UK official, Sir Philip Barton, told parliament he had no way to raise concerns about Lord Mandelson’s appointment as the UK ambassador to the US. Sir Philip said he was told the decision was made by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who accepted the risks linked to Mandelson’s controversial connections but asked him to proceed.Key Facts
- Sir Philip Barton was the top civil servant in the Foreign Office from 2020 to 2025.
- He learned about Lord Mandelson’s appointment just days before it was publicly announced in December 2024.
- Barton was worried about Mandelson’s known links to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender.
- He said there was no way or formal process for him to formally raise his concerns.
- The Prime Minister was informed of the risks and chose to proceed with the appointment.
- Mandelson underwent vetting for the job but was later removed as ambassador in September 2025 after new Epstein-related details emerged.
- Barton described Downing Street’s attitude toward the vetting process as uninterested, with a rush to complete it before President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January 2025.
- There is ongoing political debate and calls for a parliamentary investigation into the Mandelson vetting and appointment process.
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