Peter Mandelson ‘to be announced as UK’s next US ambassador’

Keir Starmer understood to be on the cusp of appointing Labour grandee to key post at start of Trump presidency

Peter Mandelson is set to become Britain’s next ambassador to the US, the first time a politician has been appointed to the role for almost half a century.

It is understood that Keir Starmer is about to announce that Lord Mandelson, a former Labour minister and European commissioner for trade, has been given the role and will take over as Donald Trump begins his second term as president.