Lord Peter Mandelson is set to be appointed as Britain’s new ambassador to the United States.
The Labour peer, whose father’s family were Jewish, will now be at heart of the Keir Starmer’s relationship with in-coming US president Donald Trump.
Starmer is thought to believe that Mandelson has the trade expertise and networking abilities to push the UK’s interests with the flamboyant new American leader.
He has also been supportive of Israel on frequest occasions, telling a Yom Ha’atzmaut event at the Israeli Embassy in London in June:“In the 1980’s I became increasingly aware of the need to defend Labour’s support for Israel from ultra left militants and forces both inside the Labour party and outside. Those who had climbed on and who were pushing the ‘Zionism is racism’ bandwagon that had initially been created by the United Nations General Assembly.”
With the Middle East conflict also set to feature high on the agenda of his new role, Mandleson has also said”“I had an unwavering belief in Israel’s right to exist, as so many of us, the overwhelming majority do in the Labour Party.”
Mandelson, who grandather was president and founder of Harrow United Synagogue is a close ally of Morgan McSweeney, Starmer’s chief of staff.
He was also backed for the role by David Lammy, by the foreign secretary.
Mandelson last served in government 14 years ago when Gordon Brown was prime minister, but has made frequent observations about Labour since.
He was a vociferous opponent of Jeremy Corbyn, but has been more supportive of Starmer as leader.
Mandelson will replace Dame Karen Pierce, the current ambassador, after Trump is inaugurated at the end of January.
She was credited with securing a dinner meeting between Trump, Starmer and Lammy in November.
