MPs want Mandelson in UK to answer their questions on Epstein - but can't force him

MPs are demanding Peter Mandelson appears connected British ungraded to springiness grounds connected his narration with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

But determination is vexation wrong parliament astatine Lord Mandelson's quality to debar scrutiny.

Sky News has learned that the almighty Foreign Affairs Select Committee of MPs made a petition to perceive from Lord Mandelson aft helium was appointed, but this was blocked by the Foreign Office.

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Lord Mandelson's presumption arsenic a subordinate of the House of Lords means the committee cannot unit him to look earlier them. People overseas tin besides not beryllium compelled to springiness evidence.

Committees person the powerfulness to summon radical to springiness evidence, and find them successful contempt of Parliament if they bash not comply.

Lord Mandelson's nonaccomplishment to look adds to the contention astir a deficiency of authorities transparency sparked by the determination to not fto nationalist information advisor Jonathan Powell springiness grounds to the Joint Committee connected the National Security Strategy.

Conservative MP and FAC subordinate Aphra Brandreth is the lone idiosyncratic connected the committee to publically telephone for Lord Mandelson to springiness them grounds connected the ambassador's links to Epstein.

Sky News understands that others connected the committee are keen for Lord Mandelson to talk to them but person decided to not spell public.

As the committee make-up mirrors that of parliament, astir members are Labour MPs.

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Ms Brandreth said successful a statement: "At a clip of immense instability astir the globe, it's captious that the UK's ambassador to the US is focused wholly connected his job

"As a subordinate of the Foreign Affairs Committee I would invited the accidental to question Lord Mandelson connected his quality to transportation retired his duties to the UK."

She shared a missive written by chap Conservative MP and erstwhile Foreign Affairs Select Committee seat Alicia Kearns.

In the letter, Ms Kearns called connected existent seat Dame Emily Thornberry to summon Mandelson, question him and enactment the concerns of MPs to him.

Ms Kearns besides wants to cognize what questions Dame Emily has asked the Foreign Office since the assignment of Mandelson, and to find retired "how substantial" Lord Mandelson's narration with Epstein was.

Ms Kearns told Sky News: "Months and months person passed with nary enactment from the seat of the Foreign Affairs Committee, alternatively determination has been an unsettling soundlessness from her connected each things Mandelson.

"I would person summoned Mandelson agelong ago, it's the chair's work to get the answers parliament deserves. It's each excessively evident Thornberry has agelong been focused connected her adjacent role, not the 1 she's been elected and paid to do."

So far, determination has been nary effect from Dame Emily, who, connected Wednesday night, took portion successful a hustings for her run to beryllium the adjacent Labour lawman leader.

Some MPs connected the committee are acrophobic this contention has distracted Dame Emily from her relation connected the committee, particularly with the Epstein allegations - arsenic good arsenic the caller incidents successful Poland and Qatar.

Having failed to unafraid capable enactment successful the race, it is present apt that Dame Emily volition beryllium withdrawing from the race.

In January, Dame Emily raised Lord Mandelson's assignment with Foreign Office curate Stephen Doughty.

She said the assignment was "inspired" - earlier asking the curate and authorities to "allow Lord Mandelson the clip to travel earlier my Committee earlier helium leaves for the United States?"

Dame Emily added: "That volition let my colleagues to perceive straight wherefore the Prime Minister has appointed him, and to larn what his priorities are successful this important diplomatic role."

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Mr Doughty said: "I americium definite that we volition see immoderate petition that my close honourable person makes successful owed people successful the mean mode successful which we see requests from her Committee."

The FCDO has been approached for comment.