Emily Thornberry, the Labour chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, has cast doubt on claims that the decision to deny Peter Mandelson security clearance for the role of UK ambassador to the US was “borderline”. The Guardian has revealed that UK Security Vetting (UKSV) raised concerns about Mandelson’s associations with senior figures in China, Russia and Israel.
Thornberry said the latest disclosures make it “pretty incredible” that Olly Robbins, the Foreign Office permanent secretary who overruled the recommendation, described the decision as borderline. She added that it makes her “very angry that the security of our country seemed to be of so little importance to those pushing for, or those being pushed to approve, the appointment”.
In other political news, Reform UK’s candidate for the Makerfield by-election, Robert Kenyon, has criticised Brexit as an “economically self-harming project” promoted by politicians who “peddled the nationalistic pish”. The comments, made in a social media post hours after the 2016 referendum, contradict his claim to have voted Leave. Labour has called on Nigel Farage to clarify whether Reform is misleading voters.
Meanwhile, resident doctors in England will stage their 16th strike next month in a long-running pay dispute, blaming the new health secretary for the decision. Households face the steepest summer rise in energy charges in four years, with the price cap climbing by 13% due to soaring market prices.
