Christian Turner picked as new UK ambassador to Washington – POLITICO

LONDON — Christian Turner — a career diplomat hailed as “a first-rate problem solver” — has been chosen as Britain’s new ambassador to the United States after an extensive search to fill the top transatlantic post.

The U.K. government on Thursday night confirmed it has chosen Turner — who was supposed to become Britain’s representative to the United Nations in the coming months — for the role, which was vacated by Peter Mandelson back in September. Veteran Labour politician Mandelson left office amid deep controversy over his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The prime minister’s business adviser Varun Chandra had been seen as the frontrunner for the post as recently as this week, earning praise from some Trump administration officials. But Turner secured the plum job after Keir Starmer was persuaded to appoint from within the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).