Peter Mandelson has been appointed as the next British ambassador to the United States as Keir Starmer tries to forge ties with Donald Trump.
Government sources last night confirmed the controversial Labour peer, nicknamed ‘the Prince of Darkness’ due to his Machiavellian manoeuvrings, will be installed in Washington following Mr Trump’s inauguration on January 20.
The prime minister previously said he believed the Labour politican had the necessary trade expertise and networking abilities to bolster the UK’s interests during this delicate period of time.
It is a ‘delicate’ period that has seen frosty relations, with Mr Trump saying he would implement tariffs on goods coming in from the UK.
There is also the awkward issue of Foreign Secretary David Lammy‘s scathing criticism of the president-elect over the years, which has included calling him a ‘woman-hating, neo-Nazi sympathising sociopath,’ ‘a tyrant in a toupee’ and ‘a dangerous clown’.
Mandelson got the nod ahead of a string of prominent Labour rivals including former Cabinet ministers David Miliband and Baroness Amos.
The Lord’s expertise as a former EU trade commissioner could prove vital during what look set to be fraught discussions with the Trump administration over free trade.
He has held several other positions such as European Commissioner for Trade and has more recently been described as a ‘significant influence’ on the office of Starmer and a ‘core part’ of his network.
