LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Britain on Thursday appointed Christian Turner as the UK ambassador to the United States, handing him a pivotal role in navigating ties with President Donald Trump's administration at a sensitive moment for the transatlantic relationship.
The appointment of a career diplomat to the high-profile post represents a shift in strategy from Prime Minister Keir Starmer after his decision to send in political appointee Peter Mandelson to build relations with the Trump administration backfired earlier this year.
Mandelson was fired in September over supportive emails he sent to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein came to light, revealing a much closer than previously acknowledged relationship.
“I’m delighted that Christian Turner has been appointed to be British Ambassador to the United States of America," Starmer said in a statement.
Turner, 53, had been appointed as Britain's next ambassador to the United Nations in New York and was due to take up the role at the end of 2025.
He takes on the crucial brief of managing the UK's relationship with the Trump administration at a time when the two countries are in open disagreement on issues like free speech and energy policy, but are also working closely together in other areas like AI technology and ending the war in Ukraine.
(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti; Editing by Susan Fenton)
