Lord Peter Mandelson Expresses Honour at US Ambassador Appointment

Lord Peter Mandelson described his officially confirmed appointment as the United Kingdom’s forthcoming ambassador to the United States as “a great honour”. A prominent figure in the Labour party, he is widely recognized in political circles, having held various ministerial positions during the administrations of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown prior to receiving a life peerage in the House of Lords. The 71-year-old, known as the “Prince of Darkness” during his tenure as New Labour’s spin doctor, is set to serve as the primary intermediary between the prime minister and Donald Trump’s incoming administration, at a pivotal moment for diplomatic relations between the US and UK. Lord Mandelson stated, “We face challenges in Britain, but also big opportunities and it will be a privilege to work with the government to land those opportunities.” Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer issued a statement expressing that he was “delighted” to appoint Lord Mandelson. He added, “The United States is one of our most important allies and as we move into a new chapter in our friendship.” Sir Keir continued, “Peter will bring unrivalled experience to the role and take our partnership from strength to strength.” Similar to other prominent Labour figures, Lord Mandelson has previously voiced criticism of Donald Trump, at one point characterizing him as “little short of a white nationalist and racist”. An interview with an Italian journalist from 2019, which recently came to light, revealed Lord Mandelson’s description of Trump as “reckless and a danger to the world”. Furthermore, in a 2018 interview with the Evening Standard, he referred to Trump as “a bully”. Following speculation about his potential candidacy for the US ambassador position, which is regarded as the most esteemed diplomatic appointment within the UK government, Lord Mandelson has moderated his rhetoric concerning Trump. In November, he advocated on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme for establishing “a new relationship rather than a special one” with the US. He additionally stated on the News Agents podcast that it is “absolutely essential that we establish a relationship with President Trump that enables us not only to understand and interpret what he’s doing but to influence it”. He further suggested that the Labour government ought to “reconnect” with Elon Musk, the tech multi-billionaire and ally of Trump, who has criticized Sir Keir’s government and has been named head of the new advisory team, the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge). As initially reported by The Times, Lord Mandelson is slated to succeed Dame Karen Pierce, whose tenure in Washington DC is scheduled to conclude when Trump assumes office in the White House in early 2025. Sir Keir expressed gratitude to Dame Karen for “her invaluable service for the last four years, and in particular the wisdom and steadfast support she has given me personally since July”. While UK ambassadors are typically career diplomats or civil servants, Downing Street indicated that the selection of a prominent Labour politician “shows just how importantly we see our relationship with the Trump administration”. Stephen Kinnock, the Labour Health Minister, commented that Lord Mandelson would be “an excellent appointment” as US ambassador. Kinnock, whose father Neil Kinnock provided Lord Mandelson with his initial senior position within the Labour party in the 1980s, highlighted the former EU Trade Commissioner’s “really strong experience in trade”. Kinnock further stated, “He’s got very good political contacts in Washington DC and I think his appointment would be a reflection of the importance of the US-UK special relationship and I think Peter Mandelson would be a very good person to take that relationship forward.” However, Lord Mandelson has been a polarizing figure in British politics for an extended period. He resigned from ministerial roles on two occasions: first, for not disclosing a home loan from a fellow cabinet member, and second, amid allegations of leveraging his position to affect a passport application. Given his strong opposition to Brexit and his advocacy for global free trade, he does not seem to be an apparent match for the incoming Trump administration. Nevertheless, the former cabinet minister and EU trade negotiator possesses extensive political experience, and Downing Street may have concluded that dispatching an individual with such close ties to prominent UK political figures could be favorably received by the White House. Trump had previously referred to Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage as a “great choice” for ambassador, but the Labour party was improbable to select a political adversary like Farage. Lord Mandelson has proposed utilizing Farage’s connections in the US as a “bridgehead, both to President Trump and to Elon Musk and others.” He commented, “You’ve got to be pragmatic, practical about this.” Meanwhile, Farage has stated that he “might disagree with Mandelson on his politics, but he’s a very intelligent man” and would be a suitable choice for ambassador. Lord Mandelson represented Hartlepool as a Labour MP from 1992 to 2004, holding positions as Northern Ireland secretary and business secretary under Blair. He resigned as an MP in 2004 to become a European Commissioner, subsequently returning to the UK to serve as Gordon Brown’s most senior minister. On Thursday, Sir Keir stated that the UK would “have to make sure that we avoid tariffs” when questioned about Trump’s remarks, and reaffirmed his desire to enhance trade relations with Washington. Trump has committed to implementing extensive tariffs on his initial day in office, a move that experts estimate could incur a cost of £22bn for the UK. Anthony Zurcher, the North America correspondent, provides insights into US politics in his twice-weekly US Election Unspun newsletter. Readers within the UK can subscribe here, while those outside the UK can subscribe here. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available here.