A UK parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee recommends that ambassadorial appointments for political figures should be subject to a veto by MPs, following criticism of how Peter Mandelson was chosen as Britain’s ambassador to the United States. The committee’s report examines the Mandelson episode and concludes that the appointment process is seriously flawed. It says the approach taken “was being made up as it went along” and describes the impact on the government as highly damaging. The report also raises concerns about unanswered questions regarding how Mandelson was vetted before the appointment. Multiple outlets report that MPs warned the appointment was a “disastrous” decision, and they highlight the committee’s view that the controversy was painful and offensive to victims of Jeffrey Epstein, while questioning the extent and timing of any checks undertaken by officials. The recommendation would add a formal parliamentary approval mechanism, giving MPs a direct role in accepting or rejecting political appointments to ambassadorial posts. The issue is being framed as a matter of process and scrutiny, with the committee calling for changes to how senior diplomatic appointments are handled in future.