British lawmakers voted against opening an inquiry into whether Prime Minister Keir Starmer misled parliament over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States.
Starmer appointed veteran Labour politician Mandelson to the key diplomatic role in December 2024, but later dismissed him in September after reports revealed his links to late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were more extensive than previously disclosed.
The Prime Minister has rejected calls to resign, insisting Mandelson had misrepresented the nature of his relationship with Epstein.
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Starmer also claimed officials failed to provide him with information during the vetting process that could have prevented the appointment.
Lawmakers voted 335 to 223 against referring the matter to the Committee of Privileges to determine whether Starmer had misled the House of Commons, including claims that “full due process” had been followed in Mandelson’s appointment.
Had the committee concluded that Starmer deliberately misled parliament, he would likely have faced pressure to resign.
Starmer dismissed the move, spearheaded by Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, as a political tactic aimed at influencing voters ahead of local and regional elections scheduled for May 7.
He instructed members of his centre-left Labour Party to vote against the inquiry, leading to its decisive defeat.
Badenoch argued the move reflected Starmer’s weakness and reliance on party discipline to block the investigation.
Reuters