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Professor Graham Zellick KC identifies the constitutional, legal & governance issues arising from Lord Mandelson’s appointment & dismissal as ambassador to the US
- Lord Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to the US exposed serious constitutional and governance failings, including the prime minister’s apparent overreach into a power legally vested in the foreign secretary, the public confirmation of the appointment before security vetting was completed, and significant procedural irregularities in the handling of security clearance.
When the prime minister’s then chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, ascertained that Sir Keir Starmer wished to make a ‘political’ appointment to the Washington embassy—rather than be presented, for example, with a shortlist of the most suitable candidates from within and outside the diplomatic service—he strongly urged the appointment of Lord Mandelson, chiefly because of his experience as EU trade commissioner.
It was realised that the appointment of Mandelson would be controversial and a calculated risk. Concerns were underscored in a Cabinet Office due diligence report, especially Mandelson’s links with Jeffrey Epstein.
A controversial appointment
The ambassadorship requires Developed Vetting (DV) clearance. The
