Epstein scandal: UK foreign ministry chief out over Mandelson vetting failure

Britain’s top foreign ministry official will leave his post after Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper lost confidence in him, a source said on Thursday, following a row over the security vetting of Peter Mandelson.

The disclosure of the vetting failure has intensified pressure on Starmer over his appointment of Mandelson, Britain’s former US ‌ambassador, who is under police investigation for allegedly leaking government documents to the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and has led to renewed calls for the prime minister to resign.

Mandelson failed his security vetting before taking up the role, but the government said Starmer was unaware officials had overruled the recommendation.

“Neither the prime minister, nor any government minister, was aware that Peter Mandelson was granted developed vetting against the advice of UK Security Vetting until earlier this week,” a government spokesman said in a statement on Thursday.

The decision was taken by officials in the foreign ministry, the spokesman added.

Starmer has apologised for the appointment but defended his own actions, accusing Mandelson of creating ⁠a “litany of deceit” about his Epstein ties and promising to release documents on how he was appointed.