Starmer should never have even considered Mandelson for US role, says Sarwar

The Scottish Labour leader has backed the Prime Minister to keep his job – although he insisted Sir Keir Starmer should never even have considered Peter Mandelson for the job of ambassador to the US.

Anas Sarwar – who described Lord Mandelson as an “old friend” when he was given the posting to Washington DC – said the former UK Government minister was “a shame to our nation”.

He hit out at the same time as Scottish First Minister John Swinney insisted the latest revelations about Lord Mandelson, and his links with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, left the reputation of the Prime Minister’s Government “in tatters”.

Sir Keir told the Commons on Wednesday he was aware of the relationship between Lord Mandelson and the paedophile financier before appointing him as the UK’s ambassador to the US.

Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police has announced an investigation into allegations of misconduct in public office after emails appeared to show the former minister passed government information to Epstein during the financial crash.

Hitting out during First Minister’s Questions at Holyrood on Thursday, Mr Swinney said: “I am absolutely appalled by the revelations that have come forward in recent days about the involvement of Peter Mandelson in sharing information, at the height of the financial crisis, with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted paedophile.

“He was doing that as a serving government minister and that somehow was overlooked when he became Keir Starmer’s nominee to be the United Kingdom’s ambassador to the United States.

“It’s an absolutely atrocious set of circumstances, and appalling judgment by the Prime Minister.”

Mr Sarwar later told journalists he too is “utterly disgusted and furious” about what had happened.

“Peter Mandelson should never even have been considered to be the ambassador the US, he never should have been the ambassador to the US,” Mr Sarwar said.

With Lord Mandelson having quit the Labour Party in light of the revelations, Mr Sarwar added: “it’s right he’s not a member of the Labour Party and he should be stripped of all his titles, and it is right he is now investigated by the police.”

Pressed on whether the Prime Minister – who is coming under increasing pressure over the issue – can stay in his post until the Holyrood election in May, Mr Sarwar insisted: “Yes.”

But with regards Lord Mandelson, he said: “People will be absolutely furious.

“Peter Mandelson has betrayed his country, he has betrayed the victims of Jeffrey Epstein, he has betrayed this country, and he has betrayed the party he once belonged to, and he should feel the full force of the law.

“It is abundantly clear Peter Mandelson was not fit to be ambassador the US, he should not even have been considered for the job.

“It’s an utter disgrace and he is a shame to our nation.”

Earlier, Mr Swinney told the Press Association Sir Keir had “been shown to have demonstrated the most appalling lack of judgment in the appointment of Peter Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to the United States”.

The relationship between Lord Mandelson and Epstein “should have been a red flag at the time”, he added.

“I think that demonstrates a most shocking and appalling poor judgment by the Prime Minister and, as a consequence of that, I think the reputation of the Labour Government is in tatters.

“I think the issue that will haunt the Prime Minister is his appalling lack of judgment in selecting Peter Mandelson to be the UK’s ambassador to the United States, and the damage that has done to the reputation of the Labour Government.”

Scottish Green MSP Patrick Harvie meanwhile insisted the appointment showed “catastrophic judgment” by the Prime Minister, adding that Sir Keir’s position is now “completely untenable”.

Mr Harvie said: “It is clear that his time is up. It is not a matter of if he will resign over this, it is only a question of when.

“Ambassador to the US is one of the most senior diplomatic appointments the Prime Minister controls. If Keir Starmer trusted the assurances of a man like Peter Mandelson, who had been forced to resign from government multiple times, then he is either too gullible to be PM or he is too incompetent.”

Elsewhere, senior UK Cabinet minister Steve Reed said the Prime Minister and his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney are safe in their jobs, claiming they were not “at fault”, having been lied to by Lord Mandelson.

“You’re only as good as the information you receive,” Mr Reed said as he blamed the vetting process for failing to disprove Lord Mandelson’s claims his relationship with the convicted sex offender “was next to nothing”.