Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing new pressure over his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as the British ambassador to Washington.
Although the opposition lost a vote calling for an investigation into the appointment, and Starmer successfully averted a parliamentary inquiry, questions remain regarding whether rules were bent to make the controversial selection.
Starmer has denied allegations that his office applied pressure on the foreign ministry to approve Mandelson's appointment despite reports that he had failed security vetting.
Adding to the controversy, the former head of the UK’s Foreign Office testified that he was not involved in the decision. This testimony underscores a sense that Prime Minister Starmer hurried the appointment process.