British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday (April 28, 2026) won a crucial Parliament vote as MPs voted against a motion calling for him to face an ethics inquiry into his conduct.

Members of Parliament voted 335 to 223 against a Privileges Committee investigation into whether he had misled the House of Commons over the appointment of disgraced peer Peter Mandelson as the U.K.’s ambassador to the U.S.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted Wednesday (April 22, 2026) he would not resign, claiming allegations of misleading MPs over his appointment of a party loyalist as UK envoy to Washington had been “put to bed”.

Mr. Starmer’s remarks in Parliament came as the beleaguered premier faced fresh calls to step down over his admitted error of judgement in appointing veteran former politician Peter Mandelson to the coveted post.

The premier spoke to lawmakers a day after the Foreign Ministry’s most senior official, Olly Robbins, gave evidence to a parliamentary committee having been fired by Mr. Starmer over the affair last week.

The ex-civil servant behind the decision to approve Peter Mandelson’s appointment as British Ambassador to Washington says he felt political pressure to rush through the appointment despite security concerns.

Olly Robbins, former head of the Foreign Office, said those concerns did not relate to Mr. Mandelson’s relationship with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He declined to say when questioned by lawmakers what led the government’s vetting agency to flag Mr. Mandelson as a potential security risk.

Mr. Robbins said the vetting agency considered Mr. Mandelson a “borderline case” and was “leaning toward recommending against” giving him security clearance.

The British government published the first documents covering the appointment of ‌Peter Mandelson as Ambassador to Washington on Wednesday (March 11, 2026), reviving questions about Prime Minister Keir ​Starmer’s judgment in employing a man close to Jeffrey Epstein.

The publication of the first ⁠tranche of documents covering the vetting of Mr. Mandelson, under police investigation for allegedly leaking government documents to the late sex offender, does little to reduce the pressure on Mr. Starmer, who is under fire over the appointment and a ‌series of policy U-turns.

The more than 100 pages of documents suggested concerns were raised about the “reputational risks” in appointing Mr. Mandelson, particularly over his friendship with Epstein, but also ‌his previous resignations from government and his support for closer ties with China.

Mr. Starmer sacked Mr. Mandelson from ‌what ⁠is considered the most prestigious posting in Britain’s diplomatic service in September, when the ⁠depth of his friendship with the convicted sex offender started to become clear.

Concerns about ‘reputational risks’

A document labelled “Advice to the prime minister, checks conducted on 4 December, 2024”, said: “After Epstein was first convicted of procuring an underage girl in 2008, their relationship ​continued across 2009-2011, beginning when Lord Mandelson was ‌business minister and continuing after the end of the Labour government. Mandelson reportedly stayed in Epstein’s House while he was in jail in June 2009.”

In a summary of a fact-finding call between the Prime Minister’s general counsel and the national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, in September, a ‌document said that Mr. Powell found the appointment process “unusual” and “weirdly rushed”.

Mr. Powell said he had concerns about ​Mr. Mandelson’s “reputation” in conversations with Morgan McSweeney, then the prime minister’s chief of staff. According to the note, Philip Barton, then the most senior government official at the ⁠foreign ministry, “also had reservations around the appointment”.

More documents to come

Mr. Starmer’s allies have sought to play down the importance of the first set of documents, saying an ongoing police investigation meant some of the more revealing ‌exchanges were being withheld.

Further documents will be released at a later date, papers which the British Prime Minister’s team say will prove Mr. Mandelson lied to Mr. Starmer about the extent of his relationship with Epstein before his appointment as ambassador in December 2024.

Darren Jones, Mr. Starmer’s Chief Secretary, told lawmakers last month the first tranche of documents would not include any correspondence between Mr. Starmer’s Downing Street office and Mr. Mandelson, when follow-up questions were asked, due to the probe.

Mr. Mandelson, a government Minister when Labour was previously in power ‌more than 15 years ago, quit the House of Lords, the upper house of parliament, in February over his ​links to Epstein. He was arrested last month on suspicion of misconduct in a public office, and later released on bail.

Files released by the U.S. Justice Department in ⁠January included emails suggesting Mr. Mandelson had leaked government documents to Epstein, and that the convicted offender had recorded payments ⁠to Mr. Mandelson or his then-partner, now husband.

Mr. Mandelson has said he does not recall having received payments. He has not commented publicly on allegations he leaked documents, and did not ‌respond to messages seeking comment.

Mr. Starmer has expressed regret over the appointment, saying the Labour veteran had created a “litany of deceit” about his ties to Epstein, an apology that did little ​to quieten opposition voices saying the prime minister should step down.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer appointed a new U.K. Ambassador to the United States on Thursday (December 18, 2025), replacing a diplomat who was fired over his over his links to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Christian Turner, currently the U.K.’s permanent representative to the United Nations, will replace Peter Mandelson, who was sacked in September because of his friendship with Epstein.

The appointment comes as U.S. President Donald Trump has been critical of Europe and at a time when Mr. Starmer and his European peers are pushing to make sure that a U.S. brokered peace plan between Russia and Ukraine does not leave Kyiv vulnerable.

“The United Kingdom and United States have a very special relationship, and Christian’s extensive experience as an outstanding diplomat will support this uniquely close bond and ensure it continues to flourish,” Mr. Starmer said.

Mr. Turner, a veteran diplomat, will take on the role after U.S. agreement. He was previously political director of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and high commissioner to Pakistan.

Mr. Mandelson, a veteran politician, had played a key role persuading the Trump administration not to slap heavy tariffs on British goods when the two countries announced a trade deal in May.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has sacked the country’s ambassador to the U.S., Peter Mandelson, over the envoy’s friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Mr. Mandelson’s departure was announced on Friday, just days before U.S. President Donald Trump’s State visit to the U.K.

“In light of the additional information in emails written by Peter Mandelson, the Prime Minister has asked the Foreign Secretary to withdraw him as Ambassador. The emails show that the depth and extent of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is materially different from that known at the time of his appointment,” the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said in a statement.

Also Read | Trump says he ended friendship with Epstein because he ‘stole people that worked for me’

That Mr. Mandelson had links with Mr. Epstein, who died in prison in 2019, was known before his appointment to the role in Washington months ago.

Additional details of Mr. Mandelson’s relationship with Mr. Epstein emerged after Democrats in the U.S. released pages form Mr Epstein’s 50th birthday book, put together in 2003. Democrats in the U.S. Congress have been attempting to get the Trump administration to release the files the U.S. government has on Mr Epstein. The issue has become a political flashpoint, focused on the nature of Mr Trump’s links with Mr Epstein. The White House has denied that a sexually suggestive message in Mr Epstein’s 50th birthday book, purportedly signed by Mr Trump, was actually signed by him.

Mr. Mandelson refers to Mr. Epstein as his “best pal” in the book.

Also Read | What do we know about the Jeffrey Epstein files?

The Sun newspaper reported that Mr. Mandelson had suggested to Mr. Epstein that the latter’s conviction of child prostitution in 2008 was wrong.

“I think the world of you and I feel hopeless and furious about what has happened,” Mr. Mandelson had reportedly told Mr. Epstein.

The former envoy said earlier this week in a interview that he regretted “very, very deeply” the length of his association with Mr. Epstein , adding, however, that he never witnessed any “wrongdoing”.

Also Read | Democrats release suggestive birthday letter to Epstein purportedly signed by Trump, which he denies

The sacking of Mr. Mandelson makes to Mr. Starmer’s political vulnerability. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, a staunch ally of Mr. Starmer, resigned days ago over not having paid enough tax on a house, leading to a Cabinet reshuffle.

Conservative Party chief and the Leader of the Opposition Leader Kemi Badenoch had called Mr. Mandelson’s position “untenable” on Wednesday (September 10, 2025) and called for him to be fired.

“There are now serious questions over what Starmer knew and when. We deserve to know,” she said on Thursday (September 11, 2025), posting on social media site X.