Tim Bale—prof of politics at Queen Mary, previously Sussex—in the news as Starmer faced fallout over Mandelson’s Washington ambassadorship. Biography: British/EU politics historian.
On March 12, 2026, the UK government released nearly 150 pages of documents revealing Prime Minister Keir Starmer's controversial appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US. Despite warnings about Mandelson's ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Starmer approved the appointment. Mandelson was sacked nine months later amid ongoing police investigations into alleged misconduct and document leaks to Epstein.