Keir Starmer did not speak to Mandelson personally before appointing him as US ambassador, it was claimed today.

The PM is said to have left his aides to ask the New Labour architect questions about his long-standing ties to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

That was despite being presented with evidence that their friendship had continued after the financier was jailed, and warnings from senior officials.  

The claims in the Times came after Sir Keir - offered a grovelling mea culpa amid a battle to contain the fury of Labour MPs.

On a visit to Belfast yesterday, Sir Keir admitted it was 'me that made the mistake' and he was the one who had to 'make the apology to the victims of Epstein'. 

He was responding to anger after papers showed Government vetting highlighted Mandelson's 'close' links to Epstein before he was made the UK's man in Washington in December 2024.

The top mandarin at the Foreign Office and national security adviser Jonathan Powell also expressed misgivings during the process.

However, Sir Keir went ahead, after apparently agreeing with chief of staff Morgan McSweeney on three questions that Mandelson needed to be asked. 

No10 has said it cannot release details of those exchanges yet because of the ongoing police probe, but the documents suggest Director of Communications Matthew Doyle was 'satisfied' with the answers. 

Sir Keir - who is in Ireland today - has accusing Mandelson of 'lying' about the extent of his links with Epstein. 

Asked whether the PM had spoken to Mandelson before giving him the UK's most prestigious diplomatic posting abroad, Downing Street said the 'full process at the time of the appointment was followed'.

The spokesman said: 'There was no requirement for a formal interview with the Prime Minister.'

Kemi Badenoch has complained of a 'cover-up' over information 'missing' from the goverment papers, and urged Labour MPs to oust Sir Keir. Backbenchers have accusied the premier of dragging Labour 'into the gutter'.  

The Government promised to publish a huge range of information about Mandelson after MPs rebelled in a Commons vote last month.

Sir Keir said yesterday: 'The release of the information shows what was known.

'That led to further questions being asked.

'Unfortunately, because of the Metropolitan Police investigation, we can't release that information yet.

'But that doesn't take away from the fact that it was me that made a mistake, and it's me that makes the apology to the victims of Epstein, and I do that.'

Lord Mandelson was arrested on February 23 on suspicion of misconduct in public office, having been accused of passing sensitive information to Epstein during his time as business secretary under Gordon Brown.

He was subsequently bailed, but later handed his passport back and freed under investigation. He has denied any criminal wrongdoing or acting for personal gain.