Starmer faces UK parliament as resignation calls grow over ex-ambassador vetting

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will address parliament on Monday, April 20, 2026, facing calls for his resignation over his handling of the appointment of Peter Mandelson, a senior figure in his ruling Labour Party, as U.S. ambassador.

Mandelson, 72, was sacked as ambassador in September 2025 following revelations about the depth of his ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with Starmer apologising for appointing him in the first place.

But on Thursday, new information came to light which showed Mandelson had failed a ⁠security vetting process carried out before he was appointed, heaping pressure on the prime minister whose popularity has sunk since he won a huge majority for Labour at a national election in 2024.

Starmer, who had previously told parliament all due process had been followed over Mandelson, has said it was unforgivable he wasn’t told about the vetting failure until last week.

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Top Foreign Office official Olly Robbins was consequently sacked.

Starmer said he would “set out the relevant facts” to lawmakers on Monday, while Robbins is due to give evidence in front of a parliamentary committee on Tuesday.

However, his opponents have accused the prime minister of lying and incompetence, adding that his ⁠job is no longer tenable.

The Liberal Democrats leader, Ed Davey, said he had shown “catastrophic misjudgement”, while the leader of the main opposition Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, said at best he had been recklessly negligent.