MI6 chief Richard Moore in mix to be Sir Keir Starmer’s next US Ambassador in blow to Peter Mandelson
THE head of MI6 is being considered as Sir Keir Starmer’s new man in Washington, The Sun can reveal.
James Bond’s almost namesake Richard Moore is in the mix to be our next Ambassador to the United States as Britain prepares for the return of Donald Trump.
The respected career spy and diplomat is the latest high profile name to be linked to the prestigious role alongside New Labour grandee Peter Mandelson.
Downing Street has until the new year to announce a successor to Dame Karen Pierce amid intense speculation on the best candidate to handle the incoming Trump White House.
Lord Mandelson was yesterday trounced by former Tory party leader William Hague in the election to be the new Chancellor of Oxford University but has been tipped for the US job for months.
However, multiple well placed sources said Sir Richard had entered the race for the Washington job at the eleventh hour.
Insiders say “the tide is moving against Lord Mandelson” with Sir Keir understood to be seeking a more traditional diplomatic appointment.
Codenamed “C”, Moore has been the head of the Secret Intelligence Service since July 2020 bringing to a close a traditional four year term.
He was previously political director at the Foreign Office and a former ambassador to controversial NATO ally Turkey.
Both government and security sources declined to comment last night, but insiders said Sir Richard’s name was in the frame.
A keen golfer and amateur frogman, Sir Richard has been the most public facing spy chief in the usually secretive role heading up Britain’s foreign intelligence networks.
Unlike previous holders of the converted “C” role he is active on social media and has mused publicly about his love of Turkish carpets and porcelain.
The latest twist in the race came as Trump allies hit out at Sir Keir over dithering on a war crimes warrant for Israel‘s Benjamin Netanyahu.
The PM will have “hell to pay” if he helps arrest Benjamin Netanyahu, a leading Trump ally tells The Sun.
The International Criminal Court issued a war crimes warrant for the Israeli leader last week with the PM suggesting he could be nicked if he came to London.
But now a powerful Washington figure and friend of the President-Elect warns doing so would see Britain cut out by the new White House
Dr Kevin Roberts, the boss of the influential Heritage Foundation, hit out: “there will be hell to pay for any international leader buying into this bulls**t”.
The Washington-based think tank has close ties to the incoming Trump administration and is helping shape policy.
Last week the ICC was branded a “kangaroo court” last week after it accused Israel of breaking international law and war crimes.
Chief Prosecutor Karim Ahmad Khan ruled that Mr Netanyahu should be locked up if he travels to any country, such as the UK, party to the foreign court’s jurisdiction.
Mr Netanyahu hit back to brand the ICC a “biased and discriminatory political body” as he raged at the ruling.
But No10 declared Sir Keir “respects the independence of the ICC”.
Downing Street said it will now be up to domestic courts to make a final determination on whether Britain formally endorses the decision.
Meanwhile David Lammy has said he will be “gracious” to Donald Trump, as he was challenged on his previous comments about the incoming US president.
The Foreign Secretary told the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee that he had “enjoyed” meeting Mr Trump with the Prime Minister recently, saying: “He was a very gracious host in Trump Tower.
“The PM and I had a good meal, we had good discussion, we had a laugh in places and I look forward to working with him.”
Asked whether he regretted previous comments in which he described Mr Trump as a “tyrant” and a “woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath”, Mr Lammy said: “I am not looking back, I am looking forward.”
He added: “I will do everything possible on behalf of the British people in relation to our national interests, and that is working with our close ally. And just as he has been gracious to me, I will be gracious to him.”