UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing intensified scrutiny after Olly Robbins, the former top civil servant at the Foreign Office, indicated that there was a strong expectation from Downing Street to fast-track Peter Mandelson's appointment as envoy to Washington. This comes despite Mandelson's failed security vetting and his past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Starmer sacked Mandelson in September 2025 amid renewed scrutiny over these ties, admitting he made a wrong judgment in appointing him. Robbins described an atmosphere of pressure to expedite the appointment, raising concerns that Starmer had been provided with public lines that were not fully vetted by the Foreign Office. As calls for Starmer's resignation grow, opposition leaders, including Kemi Badenoch of the Conservative Party and Ed Davey of the Liberal Democrats, have criticized his handling of the situation. Meanwhile, UK police are investigating allegations of misconduct against Mandelson, who has denied any wrongdoing.