Prime Minister Keir Starmer defends appointment of Peter Mandelson as U.S. ambassador despite scandal linking Mandelson to Jeffrey Epstein.
Former Foreign Office official Olly Robbins testified that Downing Street pressured civil servants to fast‑track the appointment, contradicting Starmer’s earlier statements.
The controversy emerges ahead of next month’s UK local elections, eroding public trust and prompting investors to monitor potential market volatility.
Additional testimony from former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney is scheduled, intensifying political headwinds for Labour.