Former UK Ambassador to US Failed Security Vetting; Links to Chinese Finance Minister Cited

(CNA) Following reports in April that former UK Ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson failed security vetting before his appointment in February last year, The Guardian reported today that UK security agencies held "high concerns" about him. One reason cited was his relationship with China's current Finance Minister, Lan Fo'an. Mandelson was dismissed in September last year due to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, serving only seven months. However, Foreign Office officials confirmed to Parliament that the recommendation to deny his security clearance was not primarily due to his ties with Epstein. Cabinet Office due diligence had warned that his links to China and Russia posed a "reputational risk." The Guardian reported that security agencies noted the pair spoke "several times" a year. Prime Minister Starmer's handling of the appointment has damaged his reputation, amid allegations of pressuring civil servants.