sir philip barton

مستقر3 خبر2 مصادرآخر تحديث: 28‏/4‏/2026

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سياسة·28‏/4‏/2026ملخص الذكاء الاصطناعي

No way to raise Mandelson concerns, former senior official says

Former senior civil servant Sir Philip Barton has told MPs there was no mechanism for him to raise concerns about Lord Mandelson's appointment as UK ambassador to the US in December 2024. Testifying to the Foreign Affairs Committee, the former FCDO permanent under-secretary said he was not consulted beforehand and was simply "told to get on with it" despite knowing about Mandelson's links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The appointment hasdogged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for months, with MPs set to vote on whether there should be a parliamentary investigation into his claims about the vetting process.

BBC News

3 د قراءة

Former Foreign Office chief says he raised concerns about Mandelson's Epstein links but was ignored

يتطور

سياسة·28‏/4‏/2026ملخص الذكاء الاصطناعي

Former Foreign Office chief says he raised concerns about Mandelson's Epstein links but was ignored

Former Foreign Office permanent secretary Sir Philip Barton has told MPs that he raised concerns about Peter Mandelson's links to Jeffery Epstein before his appointment as US ambassador, but was given no avenue to express them. Barton said there was 'absolutely' pressure from Downing Street to speed up vetting, with Number 10 appearing 'uninterested' in the process. He said the appointment was announced before vetting was complete, which was 'unusual', and that he was told to 'get on with it' despite his concerns about Epstein's 'toxic' nature in US politics.

Guardian UK

4 د قراءة

Foreign Affairs Committee hears evidence on Mandelson US ambassador vetting process

يتطور

سياسة·28‏/4‏/2026ملخص الذكاء الاصطناعي

Foreign Affairs Committee hears evidence on Mandelson US ambassador vetting process

The Foreign Affairs Committee is hearing evidence about the vetting of Lord Mandelson's appointment as UK ambassador to the US, which was sacked in September 2025 over links to Jeffrey Epstein. Senior civil servant Sir Philip Barton said he was first aware of the decision on 15 December 2024 - five days before public announcement - and believed he should have been consulted. He said there was pressure to complete vetting by Trump's inauguration and no-one asked him to ensure the process was rigorous, despite identifying Epstein as a 'toxic hot potato subject'. The PM previously said 'no pressure existed whatsoever' before later acknowledging 'different types of pressure'.

BBC News

2 د قراءة