LONDON (AP) — His poll ratings are dismal and rivals are eyeing his job. Now BritishPrime Minister Keir Starmerfaces more embarrassment on Monday with the publication of hundreds of pages of files about former U.K. ambassador to WashingtonPeter Mandelson, a friend of convicted sex offenderJeffrey Epstein.
The government says it will comply with ademand by lawmakersto release documents related to Mandelson’s appointment to, and conduct in, the U.K.’s most important diplomatic post. Starmer’s office said the publication on Monday afternoon will be an “unprecedented piece of government transparency.”
Mandelson was fired after nine months, and fallout from the misjudged appointment has left Starmerfighting for his job.
A first trove of files published in March revealed ministers had been warned that Mandelson’s friendship with Epstein exposed the government to “reputational risk.”
It later was disclosed that Mandelson had been approved for the ambassador’s job despite failingsecurity checks, a revelation that sparked bitter blame-trading between Starmer and senior civil servants who oversaw the security vetting.
The files being released Monday could run to more than 1,000 pages and are expected to include emails and text messages between Mandelson and government ministers and advisers.
Police have asked for some documents to be withheld because they form part of a criminal investigation into Mandelson for alleged misconduct in public office. Mandelson, 72, was briefly arrested in February by detectives investigating allegations he passed sensitive government information to Epstein when he was a minister in the British government a decade and a half ago.
He has been released without bail conditions as the police investigation continues.
Health Secretary James Murray said Monday that the release marked an “unprecedented” level of transparency from the government.
“It’s right we do that. We have been very clear that the appointment of Mandelson was wrong,” he told Sky News.
Source: Drudge Report
