Varun Chandra, a senior business adviser to United Kingdom Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, has been removed from contention to become Britain’s next ambassador to the United States, with Downing Street deciding that a seasoned career diplomat will fill the Washington post instead.

Chandra, who had been widely viewed as a leading candidate because of his role in UK–US trade and technology negotiations and his strong connections with the Trump administration, will remain at No. 10 with an expanded portfolio encompassing business, investment, and trade, while also serving as an envoy on US trade matters.

The ambassadorship in Washington, vacant since the departure of Lord Peter Mandelson in September amid controversy, is now expected to be offered to a professional diplomat, with frontrunners including Nigel Casey, the United Kingdom’s ambassador to Moscow, and Christian Turner, the country’s permanent representative to the United Nations.

Government officials said the decision reflects a desire for diplomatic experience in a pivotal posting at a time of sensitive transatlantic negotiations, although allies of Chandra stressed he remains a valued figure in the Starmer administration and was not ruled out over any vetting issue.

The move underlines ongoing tensions within Whitehall between political appointees and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, which has pushed for career diplomats in key roles to bolster institutional morale amid restructuring and job cuts.

Chandra’s expanded remit on trade and investment is likely to see him continue to play a central role in shaping the UK’s economic relations with the United States and other partners, even as the prime minister moves to appoint a permanent ambassador to Washington that aligns with traditional diplomatic norms.