Jack McConnell: Ex-Labour leader and peer 'rules himself out' of replacing Peter Mandelson as US ambassador

The former first minister said Peter Mandelson’s replacement “should be an experienced diplomat”. Lord Mandelson was sacked on Thursday after revelations about his relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

It had been reported Lord McConnell was being considered, but he has played down the speculation.

Lord McConnell said: “I am grateful to be suggested, but I feel strongly that the next ambassador should be an experienced diplomat.”

Lord McConnell met US president Donald Trump in 2005 at Trump Tower in New York. He was first minister between 2001 and 2007 and was the last Labour politician in the post.

Get daily political analysis - subscribe for free to The Steamie

Lord McConnell was replaced by the SNP’s Alex Salmond after losing the 2007 Holyrood election by one seat. He was made a peer in the House of Lords in 2010 and left the Scottish Parliament a year later.

Lord Mandelson was sacked as Britain’s ambassador to the US on Thursday after emails emerged in which the peer offered support to Mr Epstein even as the financier faced jail for sex offences.

Lord Mandelson’s friendship with Epstein was known prior to his appointment. But reports in The Sun and Bloomberg showed the pair’s relationship had continued after the financiers crimes had emerged.

Emails published on Wednesday afternoon included passages in which Lord Mandelson had told Mr Epstein to “fight for early release” shortly before he was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

He is also reported to have told Epstein “I think the world of you” the day before the disgraced financier began his sentence for soliciting prostitution from a minor in June 2008.

Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said Sir Keir Starmer would not have appointed Lord Mandelson if he had known the depth of his relationship with Mr Epstein.