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  "path": "/news/1992577/uks-starmer-faces-calls-to-resign-as-mandelson-row-reignites",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-17T07:41:57.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.dawn.com",
  "tags": [
    "World",
    "fired"
  ],
  "textContent": "British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday faced renewed calls from his political opponents ​to resign after it was revealed that his former ambassador to ‌the United States failed security vetting and was still allowed to take up the job.\n\nThe government on Thursday confirmed Mandelson — who was subsequently fired after Starmer said he had lied ​about the strength of his relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — had ​failed his security vetting before taking up the role.\n\nThe government said ⁠Starmer was unaware officials in the Foreign Office had overruled the vetting ​recommendation, and a source said the most senior official at the Foreign Office, Olly ​Robbins, would leave his role after losing Starmer’s confidence.\n\n“I don’t think the prime minister can get out of his responsibility by sacking Olly Robbins. I think the buck has to ​stop with Mr Starmer,” Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey told _BBC Radio._\n\n“I think ​the evidence suggests that he misled the Commons (parliament) and misled the public. That’s against all ‌the ⁠rules, and that’s why we’ve called for him to go.”\n\nStarmer has previously apologised for the appointment but defended his own actions, accusing Mandelson of creating a “litany of deceit” about his Epstein ties and promising to release documents on how he ​was appointed.\n\nSenior minister ​Darren Jones told ⁠ _LBC_ that Starmer was “furious” at not being told Mandelson had failed the security vetting and would update parliament on Monday. He ​said Starmer had not misled parliament and that the process ​around it ⁠was followed, but was flawed.\n\n“I don’t think it brings the Prime Minister’s future into question,” Jones said.\n\nMandelson is under police investigation for allegedly leaking government documents to ⁠the sex ​offender Jeffrey Epstein. He has not commented publicly ​on allegations that he leaked documents, and a lawyer for Mandelson did not provide a comment on ​Thursday about the vetting process.",
  "title": "UK’s Starmer faces calls to resign as Mandelson row reignites"
}