Peter Mandelson’s associations with senior figures in China, Russia and Israel were among the concerns raised by the UK’s vetting agency when it concluded he should be denied clearance, multiple sources have told the Guardian.
Mandelson’s links to China’s finance minister Lan Fo’an, the sanctioned Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, and former Israeli military intelligence general Tamir Hayman were all flagged by the agency shortly before he took up his post as UK ambassador to the US, the sources said. They added that UKSV also noted a very close relationship with a fourth individual, who is British, that could be compromising.
Another concern was a £1m loan Mandelson received to invest in an Israeli startup. UKSV also noted he appeared naive about the risk that historical relationships could be exploited. These concerns were contained in a nine-page UKSV summary in January 2025, contributing to a “high” overall concern and a recommendation to deny developed vetting clearance.
Despite this, then Foreign Office permanent secretary Olly Robbins granted Mandelson clearance. Emily Thornberry said she was “very angry”, while Ed Davey said responsibility lay with Keir Starmer. The Conservative shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel called the decision “reckless”.
The Guardian’s revelations follow a parliamentary committee accusing the government of failing to fully comply with a motion to release all Mandelson vetting papers. The intelligence and security committee said the government was withholding documents and implementing overly broad redactions. The second tranche of files is expected in June, but sources believe officials are heavily redacting or withholding files to avoid political embarrassment. The Cabinet Office said it was committed to complying with the humble address in full.
Ministers will face questions on what mitigations were put in place and whether any harm occurred during Mandelson’s seven months in Washington.
