Donald Trump criticised Sir Keir Starmer's decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as Britain's ambassador to Washington, saying the prime minister had 'exercised wrong judgment'. In a post on social media, Trump wrote: 'Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom acknowledged that he 'exercised wrong judgment' when he chose his Ambassador to Washington. I agree, he was a really bad pick. Plenty of time to recover, however! President DJT.'
Sir Keir Starmer apologised to MPs on Monday for the appointment, which has sparked a political row. He blamed Sir Olly Robbins, the former head of the Foreign Office who was sacked last week, for deliberately keeping him in the dark over Lord Mandelson's failure to pass security vetting. Starmer said he challenged Robbins over why he went against the recommendation of UKSV, the government's security vetting body, and that he would not have appointed Mandelson if he had known the peer had failed the checks. 'I did ask him and I didn't accept his explanation. That's why I sacked him,' Starmer told MPs.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom acknowledged that he 'exercised wrong judgement' when he chose his Ambassador to Washington. I agree, he was a really bad pick. Plenty of time to recover, however! President DJT.
Peter Mandelson was granted clearance by the Foreign Office despite UKSV advising against it, according to multiple reports. The specific security concerns raised by UKSV have not been disclosed. Sir Olly Robbins was sacked as head of the Foreign Office last week, but the reasons for his dismissal have not been officially confirmed. The controversy has raised questions about the security vetting process for senior diplomatic appointments.
Starmer insisted there was no pressure from No 10 to push through the appointment. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch applied for an emergency Commons debate about the scandal, telling MPs the appointment was 'a matter of national security because the prime minister has admitted appointing a known serious security risk to our most sensitive diplomatic post'. It remains unclear whether Starmer will face a vote of no confidence over the controversy. The government has not commented on whether any further disciplinary action will be taken against other officials involved in the vetting process.
I did ask him and I didn’t accept his explanation. That’s why I sacked him.
It was a matter of national security because the prime minister has admitted appointing a known serious security risk to our most sensitive diplomatic post.