UK opposition leaders, including Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch and Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey, have renewed calls for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign following new revelations that an associate of Jeffrey Epstein, Peter Mandelson, failed a background security check before being appointed envoy to Washington. The government confirmed that the decision to proceed with Mandelson's appointment was made against the recommendation of UK Security Vetting, though officials stated neither Starmer nor the foreign minister were aware of this discrepancy until recently. Mandelson was sacked in 2024 after documents revealed his extensive ties to Epstein, and a police investigation into alleged misconduct, including leaking sensitive documents, is ongoing.