Readers slam old boys' club' over Mandelson replacing Dame Karen Pierce

"Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story."

"Independent readers responding to Eleanor Mills' article on Dame Karen Pierce were scathing about her removal as UK ambassador to Washington, with many describing it as a needless and damaging decision that epitomises the persistence of an old boys' club at the top of government. Pierce's term in Washington ended just before Donald Trump entered the White House in early 2025, with Sir Keir Starmer appointing Peter Mandelson to serve as the key link between the prime minister and Trump's incoming administration"

The Independent covers issues from reproductive rights and climate change to Big Tech, investigating subjects such as the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC and producing documentaries like 'The A Word' about American women fighting for reproductive rights. The outlet emphasizes parsing facts from messaging and maintains paywall-free access, funded by donations to keep reporters on the ground who speak to both sides. Readers reacted angrily to the removal of Dame Karen Pierce as UK ambassador to Washington, calling the decision needless and damaging and seeing it as evidence of an old boys' club, gendered ageism, cronyism and the sidelining of experienced women.

Read at www.independent.co.uk