Former close aide to Keir Starmer admitted on Tuesday he was “wrong” to back the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the U.S., amid mounting political pressure.
Morgan McSweeney, once Keir Starmer’s closest aide and former chief of staff, told a parliamentary committee that he took responsibility for advising the Prime Minister to support Mandelson’s appointment, but denied bypassing official procedures.
"I advised the Prime Minister in support of that appointment, and I was wrong to do so. What I did not do was oversee national security vetting, ask officials to ignore procedures, request that steps should be skipped, or communicate explicitly or implicitly that checks should be cleared at all costs,” he said.
McSweeney added that his support for the 72-year-old Mandelson, who maintained a friendship with Jeffrey Epstein after his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from an under-18 girl, amounted to a “serious error of judgement.”
McSweeney’s testimony comes as Starmer faces a vote by MPs later on Tuesday on whether to launch a parliamentary investigation into claims he misled the House of Commons over Mandelson’s vetting.
Anger over Mandelson’s appointment in late 2024 has resurfaced after it emerged he was granted security clearance despite concerns raised during screening.
Starmer, who has faced calls to resign, has said he was "wrong" to appoint Mandelson and has expressed regret. However, he maintains that all proper processes were followed. He has also criticised officials for failing to inform him that a security vetting body had advised against the appointment.
Earlier on Tuesday, former senior Foreign Office official Philip Barton said there had been a clear urgency to confirm Mandelson’s appointment in time for Donald Trump’s inauguration on 20 January 2025.
Barton told the committee he had not been consulted and that Starmer’s office appeared “uninterested” in the vetting process required for security clearance.
Starmer had praised Mandelson’s “unrivalled experience” when appointing him to Britain’s top diplomatic post in late 2024. However, the Prime Minister dismissed him less than a year later, in September 2025, after emails revealed the extent of his links to Epstein.
British police arrested Mandelson in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He has not been charged and faces no allegations of sexual misconduct.
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Global leaders gathered in Baku this week for the 13th session of the World Urban Forum, where heads of state and senior officials warned that rapid urban growth is placing increasing pressure on housing, infrastructure and climate resilience.
The thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) has opened in Baku, bringing together governments, international organisations, city leaders and civil society to address mounting global urban challenges.
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are negotiating summer water allocations as rising temperatures, agricultural demand and pressure on shared rivers intensify water security concerns across Central Asia.
Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time, taking victory in a final overshadowed by a boycott over Israel’s participation and the war in Gaza.
The World Urban Forum (WUF13) continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 18 May, addressing the global housing crisis. The day’s agenda includes the official opening press conference, the WUF13 Urban Expo opening and a ministerial dialogue on the Nairobi Declaration to advance Africa's urban agenda.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he had paused a planned attack on Iran after appeals from the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, allowing negotiations to continue over a possible deal to end the conflict.
U.S. President Donald Trump says China's Xi Jinping agreed Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran prepares a new shipping mechanism. Tensions over the U.S. blockade and stalled nuclear talks continue to disrupt global oil supplies.
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck China’s Guangxi region early on Monday, killing two people and forcing more than 7,000 residents in Liuzhou to evacuate as rescue efforts continued.
Three people, including a security guard, have been killed in a shooting at the Islamic Centre of San Diego, authorities confirmed on Tuesday. Police said the attack took place at the centre in the Clairemont area, the largest mosque in San Diego County.
At least four people have been killed in protests across Kenya over sharp fuel price rises, as a nationwide transport strike brought parts of the country to a standstill.
Gunmen killed at least 10 people, including women and children, in an attack on a rural community in Nigeria’s northwestern Katsina State, residents said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to China is expected to focus on strengthening bilateral ties, particularly through expanded trade and economic cooperation.
Israeli military strikes across Gaza killed at least eight Palestinians on Sunday, according to local health officials, as the Israel Defense Forces intensified operations targeting Hamas commanders and infrastructure across the enclave.
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