Fifteen towns across the United Kingdom, encompassing areas such as Pontypridd, Birkenhead, and the Isle of Bute, have been shortlisted for the country's first Town of Culture award. The initiative aims to recognise and invest in local cultural programmes.
Former senior official Sir Philip Barton informed MPs that he was prevented from formally raising concerns regarding Lord Mandelson's appointment as the UK's ambassador to the US in December 2024. Sir Barton cited Lord Mandelson's connections to Jeffrey Epstein as a potential diplomatic issue, claiming Downing Street's approach to the vetting process was "uninterested" and driven by expediency.
Sir Philip Barton, formerly the senior civil servant at the Foreign Office, informed the Foreign Affairs Committee that he identified Lord Mandelson's ties to Jeffrey Epstein as a "toxic hot potato" ahead of his proposed appointment as UK Ambassador to the United States. Sir Philip expressed his belief that he should have been consulted, noting a lack of mechanisms to voice concerns and characterising Downing Street's approach to vetting as "uninterested" rather than "dismissive".
