UK Expects Mandelson to Be Confirmed by US as New Ambassador
(Bloomberg) -- The UK government expects Peter Mandelson, a Labour Party veteran and trade specialist, to be confirmed as ambassador to the US, ending a period of uncertainty amid doubts that President Donald Trump might block the appointment.
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Mandelson, 71, who was the UK's business secretary and president of the Board of Trade during Gordon Brown's premiership, is set to travel to Washington to take up the post next month, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The appointment still has to be formally confirmed by the White House, another person familiar with the matter said.
The White House's National Security Council and 10 Downing Street didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. The news was first reported by the i Paper, a British newspaper.
Mandelson is due to take on the role at a crucial moment in UK-US relations, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer trying to avoid Britain being hit with tariffs by the Trump administration, while also working together on areas such as defense and the future of the Chagos Islands, home to a large US naval base.
Doubts had risen over whether the US might block the appointment, as Mandelson has long been in favor of closer ties with Beijing, a stance that may be at odds with figures in the Trump administration.
'The United States is one of our most important allies and as we move into a new chapter in our friendship, Peter will bring unrivaled experience to the role and take our partnership from strength to strength,' Starmer said in a statement in December when Mandelson's appointment was announced.
Mandelson rose to prominence during Tony Blair's administrations from 1997, where he was credited with playing a key role in modernizing the Labour Party. He also became embroiled in several controversies and resigned from government roles twice. His reputation as a political operator during that period saw him earn the nickname 'the prince of darkness.'
--With assistance from Skylar Woodhouse.
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