I with others argued that appointing Lord Mandelson as Ambassador was a bad idea. We had a good career diplomat Ambassador in Washington, liked by President trump, who got appropriate access and set out the UK case.
The PM knew Mandelson had connections with Epstein though he may well have not known what has come out. He would have known that President Trump had no wish to have friends of Epstein in the Oval Office given Epstein’s criminal convictions. He should have worked out that some of Mandelson’s past views and certainly some of his past statements about Trump were far from helpful in winning over President Trump. By any measure this was a bad appointment before we learned of more of the detail of the Epstein relationship.
One of my biggest annoyances is the damage this has done to UK/US relationships and the impact it has had on UK policy. When he was first appointed I urged Mandelson to see the damage the Chagos give away would do. Instead he helped Starmer reassure the President this was a good policy. Now the President has found out more of the truth about the deal he has concluded it is a very bad idea.
It looks as if Lord Mandelson failed to explain to the President the US/UK Treaty promising the UK would keep the freehold of Chagos, failed to explain the consequences of Mauritius being signed up to a No nuclear Treaty, and failed to consider the defence impact of the islands being owned by a friend of China.
An Ambassador being close to our most important ally let us down badly by not explaining all this to the President,leaving the President no choice but to change his view when someone else put the full truth to him about this bad deal.
When responding to this remember Mandelson has not been accused of any criminal offence and is innocent until proved guilty. Of course the revelations of his lifestyle and the involvement with Epstein has been quite enough for the PM to say he has behaved badly, should not be a peer and should be subject to an enquiry. All this from the man who thought he was the best person to be our most important Ambassador and who said he had full confidence in him when the Opposition pressed him in Parliament.
Why did he ever force Mandelson onto the diplomatic service given his troubled past when in government? This was well known to all of us given his loss of office twice over conduct issues.
February 3, 2026
Indeed rather foolish of Mandelson to accept the post too given what he surely knew was coming down the tracks. Mandelson always seems dire and untrustworthy to me, has he resigned from the Lords yet?
Gordon Brown brought the twice-disgraced Peter Mandelson back into the Cabinet in 2008, even Ed Balls, his staunchest supporter, admitted it was “a risk”. Other Labour MPs were rather less nuanced, describing it as “perplexing” and “divisive”William Hague said it was a “stunning failure of judgment” Lord Mandelson, awarded a peerage by save the world and sell the gold Gordon Brown, was using his access to the highest levels of government to leak Downing Street memos to the man he called his “best pal”, Jeffrey Epstein.
February 3, 2026
I listened to 2TK’s China trip report yesterday, and was waiting to hear the ‘big deals’ which would elicit cheers from his own team and shoe studying silence from the opposition, but the main event never came. Despite this being pointed out by Ms Badenoch, 2TK couldn’t be persuaded to be more forthcoming.
Does anybody else think there must have been more to his trip than what he’s told us? Knowing 2TK doesn’t like to tell the proletariat what might worry their silly heads, is he hiding more giveaways from us?
February 3, 2026
Future asylum claim in China or Mauritius?
February 3, 2026
Mandelson and 2TK are cut from the same cloth. Both must knowvwhere the bodies are buried regarding each other.
One has to winder how many Super Injunctions have been granted to conceal information.
We are being ruled by a very dishonest and traitorous administration. I think the chickens are coming home to roost.
February 3, 2026
I think Mandelson is more persuasive. Starmer couldn’t persuade a drowning man out of the water. Get your point though. Something’s going to hit the fan with 2TK and it’ll be bigger than the rest of this.
February 3, 2026
Starmer is persuading many into the water without their water-wings!
February 3, 2026
The epitome of Machiavellian.
February 3, 2026
the problem is I have seen similar levels of corruption in all the parts of the UK public sector I have worked in. it is only because sex offences are part of it here that stuff is being revealed.
February 3, 2026
Correct. And the Epstein “fallout” is clearly being directed at high profile British citizens …. and not at American ones, possibly because the risk of being sued is far higher in the USA.
February 3, 2026
Not true. The Clintons have been forced to agree to appear before Congress. You can’t get more high profile than that.
February 3, 2026
Forced now having refused up until now including being subpoenaed
February 3, 2026
Why did Starmer appoint Mandleson? Well we know Starmer gets virtually everything wrong. Perhaps Mandleson’s PPE Oxon degree and his ability to lie impressed him? “An ambassador is a (no so) honest man sent to lie abroad for the good of his country,” Sir Henry Wotton in 1604 but amended.
February 3, 2026
British ambassadors had nothing to lie about because Britain always was an honourable country. But if you do need a liar, why not appoint a plausible one? Mandelson is a particularly inept liar.
Indeed simply particularly inept.
February 3, 2026
Yes you really do wonder how the Chagos deal was outlined to Trump.
February 3, 2026
Indeed. The 1968 pamphlet ‘The poverty of PPE’ asserts the degree promotes superficial, “dilettantish” analysis with little depth, training elite “social engineers” rather than true scholars.
Author was a Mr. Leif Loujaak I believe – though my memory may not be accurate on the name.
February 3, 2026
Worst than that why did the Labour executive committee appoint Starmer as there leader
February 3, 2026
Starmer certainly would not want a fine upstanding man of principle as ambassador. He would not do as he is told by his unprincipled master. Mandelson’s expertise in the dark arts and manipulation and being not well aquainted with truthfulness, appeal greatly to Starmer as a human rights lawyer with no moral compass.
February 3, 2026
I think that probably best sums it up. Surely no one in politics could ever claim they didn’t have the foggiest about the character of Mandelson?
I’ll add that I think there is also the element of seeing how much they can get away with before the plebs start asking questions.
Keep the public distracted, make them think everything is for their benefit and make hay while the sun shines.
February 3, 2026
There’s certainly, as Ann Widdecombe once said of another Conservative politician, “something of the night” about Starmer. Too much spite, too many murky folk and events around, autocratic actions, too many lies, too much pretence. Something must break the dam soon.
February 3, 2026
Mandelson has proven that he is very inexpert at ‘the dark arts’ for surely the test is being completely unknown?
February 3, 2026
Good morning.
Why indeed ?
I suspect it was done for past favours. A reward if you like. Does Lord Mandelson get another pension to add to the one(s) he already has ? Who knows ?
February 3, 2026
I suppose I am one of many here who remember his previous resignations. Why did Blair bring him back, why did Brown, why did Starmer ? He’s very close to some Conservative figures too – George Osborne in particular. Hard to see what he offers ?
A separate question: It appears he emailed all this government material to Epstein. Why ? What did he get in return ?
With this government I’d normally assume he would get off scot-free but as Gordon Brown has intervened I imagine Starmer will have to do something.
February 3, 2026
@Roy Grainger – George Osborne a Conservative? The OBR created by him to shirk his responsibility to run the Treasury.
February 3, 2026
Perhaps, in the PM’s eyes, Lord Mandelson was not restricted by considerations of veracity so much as a career diplomat might have been. As the old definition of an ambassador puts it, was he ”a man sent to lie abroad for his country”?
February 3, 2026
The wider issue is why do people with the necessary technical skills and knowledge – I even count Sunak amongst those, our host, some of the brighter military, business and technical minds – lose out in politics to the manipulators?
People like Mandelson would have been better employed as he was in his earlier days, in PR and that’s it. Same as Cameron, not that I connect him with anything in this murky business. Rather like Starmer at best employed as some kind of pedantic legal advisor to be mainly ignored, May as an admin. helper. They’re not leaders!
February 3, 2026
its the same in private enterprise, people who deliver things, lead design and delivery teams, troubleshoot real knotty problems on complex programmes end up at a certain level. meanwhile salespeople who have done nothing in their life except present well, play politics, done the golf course and conference circuit, end up at a similar level. then often the salespeople end up being promoted above the people with real substance and ability to do things. because, lets be fair, the salespeople are better at looking good, white mostly not actually as good in reality. and its the same in politics and the public sector, we have the equivalents of salespeople promoted well beyond their competence, and often self delusional in their views of their own ability, while those with actual delivery ability are held back.
February 3, 2026
I agree with this, Iain. Often, if you are too good and efficient, they won’t promote you because it would leave too big a gap.
Too many people like charm, smarm and spin over substance.
February 3, 2026
True, you would show up the people who promoted you. So it doesn’t happen. Why I got out of corporate early in my 20s and did far better eventually as a founder, but it’s an inefficient use of capital as you just don’t have the leverage at that age.
February 3, 2026
It is difficult to avoid concluding that Davos linked cronyism may have played a substantial part in Mandelson’s appointment. So many reasons not to touch the man with a bargepole, every one of them ignored.
February 3, 2026
He was no doubt appointed on the same basis as Jonathan Powell – to drive through an unpopular policy (Chagos) advocated by Lord Hermer. The incumbent ambassador may well have had strong misgivings and therefore wasn’t retained. The greatest danger to us at home is what they all do near the end of their tenure in office when spite overcomes them. One example will be copying Spain with an amnesty for all the illegal entrants. Just wait and see.
February 3, 2026
Exactly. He needed someone who could pull the wool over Trump. Who better than the Prince of Darkness.
February 3, 2026
How did the security services not know that a cabinet minister was passing secrets to people outside government? And if they did then Sir Two Tier has treated a pal rather well.
Surely after Mandelson’s previous conduct he should have been closely monitored.
Fool me once…………
February 3, 2026
I would imagine Two-Tier’s puppet-masters “encouraged” him to appoint Mandelson. One of the reasons was probably to get an Ambassador in place who would have no compunction about deceiving Trump (possibly by omission) about the consequences of the Chagos Treachery.
Another was possibly his experience of working in the EU which they are both desperate for the UK to rejoin, probably as an Associate Member.
It’s been obvious for several decades that Mandelson is a very “dodgy” character and in my opinion, Two-Tier is no better.
February 3, 2026
Looks like my comment about his “enthusiasm” for the EU is at least partially right. The following from Guido refers to the Euro and the UK’s possible adoption of the single currency:
“Peter Mandelson: Concrete steps included. Anyway, I am basically on germany’s side.”
So we have a Peer of the Realm, who has admitted he is on the side of a foreign country and is therefore etc ed.
https://order-order.com/2026/02/03/epstein-coached-mandelson-on-making-bold-pro-remain-case-britishepsteinfiles/
February 3, 2026
Why? Blair.
February 3, 2026
Why indeed. It does seem strange that Sir Keir Starmer would appoint as our US Ambassador someone who had previously described President Trump as a “danger to the world” and little more than a “white nationalist and racist” even though it would have been a post highly coveted by Lord Mandelson. Perhaps Sir Keir Starmer thought that Lord Mandelson was still the best man to persuade President Trump to agree to his Mauritius give-away and could assist him to steer a path towards China whilst pretending to be an ally of the US? We will never know. If a super injunction is capable of hiding the importation of 40,000 Afghans then who knows what a series of super injunctions are hiding from us. Sir Keir Starmer and Lord Hermer are top lawyers.
February 3, 2026
Nigel Farage also described Trump as a ‘danger’ – yet many of you are willing to elect him as PM. He has been rumbled in the USA – Musk said publicly that ‘he does not have what it takes’.
February 3, 2026
LA : Thanks for your comment. But I think you missed the point I was making. It was not whether Trump is or is not a “danger to the world” etc. but whether it was sensible to appoint an ambassador with these views, unless of course it was to deliberately make difficult our relationship with the President and the US in order to follow a different policy.
February 3, 2026
Oh I take the point.
Question is: is it sensible to elect a PM with these views – unless it is to deliberately make difficult … ?
February 3, 2026
Can television stations refrain from showing Mandelson in his underkecks before the watershed? It’s fair put me off my porridge.
February 3, 2026
How anyone ever looked at that individual and thought ‘he’ll be a trustworthy and moral politician’ is beyond me.
February 3, 2026
Mandelson has history, and it’s a long one going back very many years, he is also very, very persuasive, but would you trust this man, and give him a job ?
He seemed to fit in well when he was involved with the EU for many years, and did very well for himself.
Enough said.
February 3, 2026
Politics seems a very grubby business. Often, the most devious get to the highest positions. KS said recently that Tommy R’s endorsement of Mr Goodwin ” tells you everything about the politics they intend to inject into this by-election, the politics of poisonous division, so we can see exactly where that’s going” So, what does KS’s appointment of Mandelson tell us about what was going on in Labour and the relationship they wanted to create with the USA?
February 3, 2026
Given what is starting to come to light, I wonder if the EU will start launching their own investigations of some sort, or would that perhaps open up another can of worms completely, which may prove rather embarrassing for more than just Mr Mandelson. ?
February 3, 2026
Mandelson is a friend of Blair, and I suspect that Starmer borrowed quite a lot of what was Blairs previously, policies and contacts.
Blair still has too much effect on what goes on in Westminster – why so many look up to him is a mystery, given all the damage he did to this country. Starmer thought he could get away with more, even now implementing the policies Blair tried for but failed to enact.
Starmer would of course have been blind to the failings of Mandelson – it was enough for him to know that Mandelson was a respected member of Blair’s group.
February 3, 2026
I don’t think we will ever find out what goes through the PM’s head. This chief of staff is/was very close to him sp it may be due to him.
There are now the allegations/evidence of government business being shared, this is going to get interesting if the Police and CPS do something with it.
I would prefer that more attention was given to the PMs alleged activism against British forces along with Shiner, I guess this will need to wait.
February 3, 2026
The latest embarrassment involving Mandelson simply demonstrates the scale of damaging collusion active within the corridors of Westminster.
Remember Mandelson was also an EU commissioner for trade. How did he ever qualify for that role?
The man has been a constant schemer and questions have always been asked and left unanswered regarding his influence in the Blair Brown government.
Let us also remember he was gifted a Peerage so he could be reintroduced to Westminster in the role of Deputy PM following his period of EU Trade commissioner. This was at the time of the financial crisis which pushed Brown into ’emotional’ trouble, saving the world takes it out of a man. Apparently he needing the steady hand of Mandelson to guide the ship when he the captain had taken to his bed….
There are a lot of questions surrounding Mandelson the establishment will not allow to be answered.
February 3, 2026
I would go one step further why didn’t Parliament challenge the decision? It is Parliament that owns what happened. While some like to think, when their ego gets ahead of reality that it is all about one mane, one person, it is Parliament that needs reminding they own the out put of their chosen Government.
Reply The Opposition did criticise the appointment. Labour MP s with a big majority backed Starmer.
February 3, 2026
If it turns out to be true, as predicted in the Telegraph, Parliament is burning more of our hard earned money because they cant be bothered to manage, do their job
“The European Union will demand a fee for Britain to be able to sell weapons to Ukraine as part of a lucrative defence scheme.
The bloc’s €90bn (£77.6bn) loan will fund Ukraine’s wartime requirements for the next two years.
If Sir Keir Starmer agrees to help cover the interest payments on the borrowing, it could open the door to some €60bn (£51.7bn) worth of arms contracts for British firms.”
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/02/eu-demands-britain-pays-fee-to-join-weapons-fund/
Dictating the tax the UK taxpayer will have to pay the EU for being allowed to sell a non-EU Country arms?
February 3, 2026
Is the contract for arms worth more to the ‘government’ than just paying the British firms directly?
February 3, 2026
When you say ‘sell’ to Ukraine – who is picking up the tab but the U.K. taxpayer?
Ukraine is a giant washing machine, first class laundry, the money comes out squeaky clean.
February 3, 2026
The PM continues to show very poor judgement and grow weaker by the day
February 3, 2026
We all need to get real; we need to encourage Parliament to get real.
There is a phrase ‘you can’t be a little bit pregnant’, that sums up the UK Parliament sense of propriety and decency.
Mandelson was always a problem, then is he any different to others in Parliament? We have accepting favour’s, new clothing, new glasses, the use of a millionaires’ facilities as pure 100% perks, in return for just seemingly access. Defrauding the taxpayer by not paying what you have ordered as a member of government other taxpayers to pay. Lying on your job applications to move up this greasy ladder of sleaze. Then there are the sponsors of individuals from those that only have money to splash as a result of money taken from the taxpayer. These are just the headline figures. Parliament are the owners of these actions by using double standards and permitting them on an ad hoc basis, they undermine themselves and Parliament. You have no authority when you have no credibility.
Mandelson is just the one they sort to sweep under the carpet to hide the truth about themselves.
Is ( bad conduct ed) now the new norm?
Even this coming out now is just deflection of the real rot in Parliament and Government
February 3, 2026
Yep, amazing how many others are on the take one way or another, gifts, dodgy deals, expenses, evading tax in one way or another, then we have contracts, spouses employment, renting out of homes whilst you claim for another. and so it goes on.
JR was a breath of fresh air, which was just but one reason he always got my vote come election time..
February 3, 2026
There is something about this that just does not add up: given Mandelson’s history, the PM should have been expected to tell his people to did even deeper than usual before making such a very key appointment. It begs the question whether there was any sort of quid pro quo?
Failure to be aware of the treaty with the US on Chagos is similarly odd, so do they both go to show that the PM’s judgement is really as bad as one was beginning to suspect?
February 3, 2026
Typical of the total incompetence of this Government. Another election should be called before this country is totally destroyed. Can’t wait for you to take your place in the Lords.
February 3, 2026
Why is the question? People are judged by the company they keep, and Starmer shows what a shallow, unprincipled character he is by appointing Mandelson. If Starmer did not know Mandelson’s background, then he is an idiot; if he did know but still appointed him, he is a fool.
February 3, 2026
Should Mandelson remain a Lord? I wonder what other Lords think?
February 3, 2026
Given Mr Mandleson’s chequed past it beggars belief Prime Minister Starmer did not understand the huge risk he was taking by appointing him US Ambassador. This sordid issue not only reflects badly on Starmer’s judgement it also impacts the Labour Party more widely. I just hope President Trump stands his ground over Chagos and refuses to accept Starmer’s appalling deal.
February 3, 2026
We DON’t need a British ambassador to the USA who is “liked by Donald Trump”. What a daft idea. Sir John consider yourself reprimanded for such a stupid statement.
What we need is an ambassador who will further British interests regardless of what some trumped-up git of a president who happens to be resident in the Whit House.
NO MORE KOW-TOWING !!!!!!
February 3, 2026
So Mandelson singularly failed your test. He has done untold damage to the reputation and standing of the U.K. across the world!
Stop KOW-TOWING to the deranged political class!
Consider yourself reprimanded for such a daft action.
February 3, 2026
Dame Karen Pierce did an outstanding job, repairing relations with the Trump administration after her predecessor the undiplomatic Kim Darroch was declared unwelcome by Trump. She switched to the Biden administration with ease, and clearly was a safe pair of hands with familiarity with the regime when Trump came back. The only excuse for moving her was that she had already done an extended term.
It will be interesting to see how Sir Christian Turner gets on as the new appointee. Much of his career was close to Labour politicians including being PPS to Brown when he was PM. He appears to be more of a Middle East/Africa/Pakistan specialist although he spent a murky 4 years in Washington after he worked in Blair’s Cabinet Office. An FCDO Arabist is perhaps not Trump’s ideal foil.
February 3, 2026
How is the US our most important ally? I fail to see it with the recent threat to impose tariffs on UK – then President Trump went out if his way to belittle the role played by our troops in Afghanistan even though well over 400 were killed and hundreds injured – so what kind of an ally is that? And more recently he has warned us off from signing a trade agreement with China with the possibility of raising tariffs as a punitive measure – I don’t see that the US is an ally-
February 3, 2026
Keep your eyes tight shut and you will not see anything obvious to all the rest of us, reflected in the popularity ratings of the British PM and other party leaders, including Farage who stands at -15%.
February 3, 2026
Lord Mandelson is to step down from the House of Lords. But remains Lord Mandelson. So essential all as you were.
Sorry Sir John, while some enter that house do contribute. None of them have any more legitimacy than the hereditary peers, or come to that the ordinary person in the street. The UK Legislators have been fighting the people for centuries, those appointed for whatever reason have no legitimacy to voice an opinion any more then the next man, certainly they should have no part in Legislation. Yes there should be an upper chamber, and elected upper chamber. The fight for a proper democracy keeps falling on deaf ears.
Honours for achievements above and beyond is a recognition that those that have them bestowed should be proud of.
Today’s item is about who made the right honourable Lord Mandelson the UK Ambassador to the USA. Come back a notch why was he ever given a peerage and who proposed him
Why did Karen Pierce have His Majesty’s pleasure withdrawn – the only answer that is obvious is stupidity and some-ones desire to ingratiate a chum. Sound familiar
February 3, 2026
We need a law to strip his title.
If Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor loses his title there is no argument for Mandelson to retain his.
February 3, 2026
Indeed I think the power to appoint life Peers should be subject to a positive vote of the electorate. If that means few are appointed so much the better.
February 3, 2026
Spot on
February 3, 2026
The Mandelson scandal will shake the very foundations – shaping up to become even more serious than the spy scandal with kim Philby & Co way back or Profumo way back.
February 3, 2026
56 ‘illegal immigrants’ invaded the UK yesterday 2nd Feb 2026 ….
February 3, 2026
This whole sorry episode surely brings into question Starmer’s judgement in the selection of associates to represent the United Kingdom.
Mandelson is not the only person who lacks credibility, competence and integrity within Starmer’s appointees.
February 3, 2026
Mandelson has been emboldened over the years by spinning his way up the greasy pole assuming that he was untouchable, having been rehabilitated several times after “integrity lapses”.
To think he was given so many sensitive and key positions here in Britain and the EU and the USA while living a lie beggars belief and seriously challenges this nonsense of a government and the rest of the establishment that allows this to happen.
February 4, 2026
Rupert Lowe is wondering whether the British Government is in the hands of Organized Crime?
It seems the US Democratic Party is in the same boat.
Billions, maybe Trillions stolen from taxpayers both sides of the pond.
February 4, 2026
Sir John many of us are old hands and not shrinking violets.I accept redacting any element/word if it is libellous but otherwise let us know what someone wishes to say IN FULL
Reply This site does not welcome bad language, personal allegations, extreme versions of sensible criticisms. If you want those go elsewhere.