Donald Trump does not want David Miliband as ambassador, Republican ally declares
DONALD Trump does not want David Miliband to be US ambassador, a Republican source says.
Sir Keir Starmer has been under pressure to ditch Peter Mandelson as candidate over his ties with China and the EU.
David Miliband – brother of Environment Secretary Ed Miliband – has been desperately lobbying No10 to get the plum job if Mandy is torpedoed.
But an ally of the President said: “Trump doesn’t like Peter Mandelson, but he has no time for David Miliband either.
“These lefty political appointments are bizarre. They should have kept Karen Pierce or at least brought in a Foreign Office lifer.
“Miiliband would never get to be ambassador. No one called Miliband will stand a chance.”
Lord Mandelson is No10’s first choice to be their man in Washington and they are quietly confident that he will get White House approval.
But amid a flurry of fiery briefings from Trump allies rubbishing his appointment, his old pal and ex Foreign Secretary David Miliband has been quietly trying to nab his job.
A Labour insider said: “Mandy won’t be happy that David has been on manoeuvres.”
Meanwhile, US sources warned that Sir Keir’s Attorney General’s work representing a Guantanamo Bay detainee will make him unpopular with Team Trump.
Richard Hermer represented Abu Zubaydah from 2021 as he sued the British Government claiming MI6 was complicit in his torture.
Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at The Heritage Foundation in the US, said Lord Hermer’s position was “untenable”.
He told the Sun on Sunday: “I think that Lord Hermer will be viewed with a lot of suspicion and he’s been on the wrong side of history.
“I think that this is a position that becomes unworkable in terms of working with the new US administration.
“My sense is that there will be immediate distrust of the track record of Lord Hermer.”
Under fire Lord Hermer is facing allegations of conflict of interest after it came to light he represented a string of controversial clients.
They include Isis bride Shamima Begum and former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams.
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “Jenrick: “Never has there been an Attorney General who has acted against the British government to such a degree as Lord Hermer. His past is now catching up with him.
“There is now a clear pattern of this Labour Government making contentious decisions against the national interest, but that benefit the Attorney General’s former clients. The public will be asking: where do his loyalties lie?
“The Attorney General continues to dodge basic questions about conflicts of interest. “He must now urgently come clean, and explain to the British public whether he was involved in these decisions in Government, or his position is untenable.”
A Government spokesman said: “The UK and the US have a historic and special relationship, and the US is an indispensable ally.
“We look forward to working with President Trump and his Administration in the years ahead.”