Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has called for a parliamentary inquiry into whether Keir Starmer misled parliament over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington. He urged the privileges committee to investigate whether the prime minister committed contempt of parliament.
The demand follows a Guardian report that security officials recommended Mandelson be denied security clearance, but were overruled. "We need to get to the bottom of exactly what Keir Starmer knew when, and whether he intentionally misled parliament over this appalling scandal," Davey said. He warned that if Starmer had been aware of the overruling, it would be "a major abuse of power and a betrayal of the national interest".
Downing Street insists the prime minister did not learn of the vetting decision until Tuesday evening. Starmer sacked senior Foreign Office official Olly Robbins on Thursday night, and his chief secretary Darren Jones described the affair as a "failing of the state". Jones said he had suspended civil servants' power to override security vetting recommendations, having been "astonished" to discover that power existed.
Davey said the public deserved the truth, not another cover-up. "Boris Johnson eventually resigned after misleading parliament. If Starmer has done the same, he must be held to the same standard," he added. The Lib Dems will push for a Commons debate on Monday to establish a privileges committee inquiry.
Other opposition figures were also critical. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called the prime minister's denials "completely preposterous", while Green MP Siân Berry accused him of lying. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said Starmer had "blatantly lied" over Mandelson's clearance. Labour MP Emily Thornberry, who chairs the foreign affairs select committee, questioned who overrode the security concerns.
Starmer will appear before parliament on Monday to explain his version of events. Many Labour MPs privately warned that his future would depend on what further evidence emerges.
