Career diplomat to replace Mandelson in Washington

Sir Keir Starmer has chosen veteran diplomat Christian Turner as Peter Mandelson's successor as Britain's ambassador to the US.

- DAVID MADDOX POLITICAL EDITOR

The prime minister has chosen one of the most respected officials in the Foreign Office to pick up the vital US ambassador role after the chaos surrounding Lord Mandelson's sacking.

Lord Mandelson was withdrawn as US ambassador after it emerged he had withheld details of his close relationship with the convicted paedophile and former financier Jeffrey Epstein.

In his place is Mr Turner, who was political director at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for both this Labour government and its Conservative predecessor before being appointed as the UK's representative at the UN in May.

Mr Turner had been the ambassador in Pakistan and had been a key and reliable adviser to a series of foreign secretaries.