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.
The news comes as the UK prepares for challenging changes in trade relations with the US under the president-elect, with the prime minister's chief of staff travelling to the US for talks with Trump's incoming White House team earlier this month.
Starmer believes that Mandelson, a former Labour MP who now sits in the House of Lords, has the trade expertise and networking abilities to bolster the UK's interests during this "delicate period" for its relationship with the US, according to the Times.
This story is from the December 20, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the December 20, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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