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Starmer to wait until after US election to appoint ambassador to Washington
Prime Minister axes Rishi Sunak’s choice to put his own candidate in post
Sir Keir Starmer has axed Rishi Sunak’s choice for the next British ambassador to Washington and will wait until after the US election to choose a replacement.
The Prime Minister has cancelled a plan to appoint Sir Tim Barrow, a career diplomat, and is thinking about installing Lord Mandelson or David Miliband, according to reports.
“The big dilemma for Starmer will be whether to make a political appointee or a more routine Civil Service appointment,” an official told The Guardian.
“He’s going to wait until after November to see who is in the White House before he makes that decision.”
Appointing Britain’s representative in Washington is one of the most important diplomatic decisions a prime minister has to take.
Dame Karen Pierce, the current ambassador, has good relations with Republicans and Donald Trump, whom she met for dinner with Lord Cameron earlier this year.
Appointing a senior Labour figure such as Lord Mandelson, a New Labour-era fixer for Sir Tony Blair, or Mr Miliband, the former foreign secretary under Gordon Brown, may prove unpopular if Trump were to win a second term in the White House.
Whitehall sources told The Telegraph that if Trump were to win, Sir Keir may opt for a former senior civil servant such as Lord Sedwill, the former national security adviser and cabinet secretary.
Dame Karen, whose term in office was extended in light of the coronavirus pandemic, is expected to leave Washington in early 2025.
Sir Tim, the current No 10 national security adviser, was told he was no longer in line for the role on Friday, only hours after Labour won the general election.
The Telegraph understands he had attempted to speed up the appointment process so his role would be announced before the general election.
The decision was never officially announced by Mr Sunak’s Downing Street, and Labour officials felt the appointment should be made after the election.
Sir Tim was informed of the decision by Sue Gray, Sir Keir’s chief of staff, who is herself a former civil servant.
The news broke on Tuesday as Sir Keir headed to Washington for his first official. He will meet Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday.
Unlike most Labour leaders, he did not travel to America to meet the US president while in opposition, leaving engagement with Biden administration officials to David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary.
Downing Street did not respond to a request for comment.