British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Friday that veteran Labour politician Peter Mandelson, a former minister and EU trade commissioner, will be appointed as the next UK Ambassador to the United States.
Mandelson, 71, is set to assume the role “early next year,” according to Downing Street, coinciding with US President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House for a second term.
“The United States is one of our most important allies and as we move into a new chapter in our friendship, Peter will bring unrivalled experience to the role and take our partnership from strength to strength,” AFP quoted Starmer as saying in a statement.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy praised Mandelson’s “wealth of experience in trade, economic and foreign policy from his years in government and the private sector”.
“He will arrive in Washington DC as we deepen our enduring alliance with the incoming United States administration, particularly on growth and security.”
Mandelson, an EU trade commissioner from 2004 to 2008 who also co-founded the international public policy advisory firm Global Counsel, called his appointment “a great honour”.
“We face challenges in Britain but also big opportunities,” he added.
“It will be a privilege to work with the government to land those opportunities, both for our economy and our nation’s security, and to advance our historic alliance with the United States.”
Mandelson’s appointment comes amid reported unease within the UK government about the prospects for London’s so-called “special relationship” with Washington during Trump’s second presidency.
Content retrieved from: https://www.firstpost.com/world/starmer-appoints-peter-mandelson-as-uk-ambassador-to-the-us-13846411.html.
