Starmer faces Mandelson vetting crisis

The appointment of Peter Mandelson to Washington has triggered a major political scandal in the United Kingdom, with opposition leaders calling for the Prime Minister's resignation.

Reports indicate that Mandelson's past ties to Jeffrey Epstein and business links in Russia and China were flagged as significant security risks by ethics teams.

Prime Minister Starmer maintains he was 'staggered' to learn of the vetting failure only recently, leading to the sacking of top Foreign Office official Sir Olly Robbins.

The crisis is being described by former diplomats as the most significant challenge to the diplomatic service in decades.