Issued on: 20/04/2026 - 22:41Modified: 21/04/2026 - 12:52

François Picard is pleased to welcome Tim Bale, Professor of Politics at Queen Mary University of London. According to Professor Bale, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer appears to have unwittingly misled parliament, as a consequence of not being not being "apprised" of Peter Mandelson's failed vetting.

While accountability remains so far elusive, Starmer's appointment of Mandelson as British ambassador to the US was widely seen as a political risk taken under pressure, our guest notes.

Indeed, although the UK already had an ambassador in Washington – the widely respected Karen Pierce – the choice of Mandelson to replace her reflected a strategic gamble shaped by anxiety over the UK's relationship with the US under Donald Trump, Professor Bale explains.

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