Sir Philip Barton Details Lack of Avenue to Raise Concerns on Mandelson Appointment
Former senior official Sir Philip Barton informed MPs that he had no means to express his concerns regarding Lord Mandelson's appointment as the UK's ambassador to the United States.
Sir Philip stated that no one at Downing Street consulted him before the decision was made to appoint Lord Mandelson during his tenure as the top civil servant at the Foreign Office in 2024.
Addressing the Foreign Affairs Committee, Sir Philip remarked that he considered the appointment of Lord Mandelson a "potentially difficult issue" due to the Labour peer's known associations with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
"I was worried that this could become a problem in future."
However, he added that he was simply "presented with a decision" made by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and instructed to "get on with it."
Sir Philip acknowledged Epstein as "a controversial figure" in the US and expressed his apprehension about potential future complications arising from the appointment.
"That is a very candid account of probably what I was thinking at the time, but there was no space or avenue or mechanism for me to put that on the table," Sir Philip said.
Committee Appearance and Vetting Process
Sir Philip appeared before the committee to answer questions concerning the vetting process for Lord Mandelson prior to his assumption of the prominent diplomatic role in Washington DC.
He served as permanent under-secretary at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) from September 2020 to January 2025, encompassing the period during which Lord Mandelson’s appointment was processed.
Lord Mandelson was announced as the UK's ambassador to the US in December 2024, after which he underwent comprehensive vetting to secure the necessary security clearance for the position.
The former Labour minister was dismissed from his role as US ambassador in September of the following year after new information surfaced regarding the extent of his friendship with Epstein. Lord Mandelson has since expressed regret over ever having known Epstein.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer appointed Lord Mandelson to the post, a decision that has attracted criticism and raised questions about the Prime Minister’s judgment.
Sir Keir is expected to face a parliamentary vote on whether to initiate an investigation into his statements concerning the vetting of Lord Mandelson.
Details of Appointment and Vetting Timeline
In his testimony on Tuesday, Sir Philip revealed he was first informed of the decision to appoint Lord Mandelson on 15 December 2024, just days before the public announcement.
Upon being notified, Sir Philip was told that "a due diligence process had been carried out and as is known now the prime minister had been made aware of the risks and accepted those risks and decided to proceed."
Views on Downing Street’s Approach to Vetting
When questioned about his agreement with his successor at the Foreign Office, Sir Olly Robbins, who recently accused Downing Street of a "dismissive attitude" towards vetting during Lord Mandelson’s appointment, Sir Philip offered a nuanced perspective.
"I would not describe No 10's attitude towards vetting as 'dismissive'. Instead, the former official said Downing Street had been 'uninterested' in vetting, and there were time pressures to complete the process before Donald Trump was inaugurated as US president in January 2025."
Sir Philip stated he was "not aware of any pressure on the substance" of Lord Mandelson’s vetting from Number 10 and denied media reports alleging that the prime minister’s former chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, swore at him over the matter.
"There was 'absolutely' time pressure to get the vetting done quickly given 'the top of the government is saying the prime minister has decided he wants Mandelson' in post," Sir Philip said.
Upcoming Evidence and Parliamentary Debate
Morgan McSweeney is scheduled to provide evidence to the same committee on Tuesday morning, ahead of a Commons debate in the afternoon regarding the issue.
