Sir Keir Starmer has urged Labour MPs to vote down a Conservative motion that would trigger a sleaze inquiry into the Peter Mandelson vetting affair, in what is set to be a pivotal day for his premiership. The prime minister made a direct appeal at a meeting of the parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) on Monday evening, after Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle confirmed that MPs would debate whether to refer Starmer to the Privileges Committee for allegedly misleading Parliament over Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador.
Starmer told Labour MPs: 'This is not about a lack of transparency. This is a political stunt by our opponents who want to bring us down, obscure our message, stop us getting on with our work.' He added: 'Tomorrow is pure politics and we need to stand together against it.' The vote comes nine days before local elections, and with some Labour MPs reportedly considering backing the motion or plotting to remove Starmer in May.
The Privileges Committee previously investigated Boris Johnson over the 'partygate' scandal, leading to his departure from frontline politics. On the same day as the vote, Starmer's former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney and former top civil servant Sir Philip Barton – both involved in Mandelson's appointment – are due to give evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee. Labour grandees, including former home secretaries Alan Johnson and Lord David Blunkett, have written to Labour MPs urging them to oppose the referral.
The controversy stems from the revelation that the Foreign Office appointed Mandelson despite his failing security vetting. Starmer has maintained that he and ministers only learned of the vetting failure last Tuesday, despite reports that The Independent raised concerns in September. The prime minister's large majority means the motion is unlikely to pass, but the debate could still prove damaging.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch argued that 'the facts are overwhelming', accusing Starmer of misleading the House and appointing 'a national security risk and friend of a convicted paedophile' to a sensitive diplomatic post. The vote is scheduled for Tuesday, alongside a meeting of the Middle East Response Committee and King Charles's address to the US Congress.
