Keir Starmer was not informed about sensitive information concerning Peter Mandelson’s security vetting by two senior civil servants, including the head of the civil service, the Guardian has learned. The prime minister described the failure to notify him as “unforgivable” and “staggering”.
Antonia Romeo, the cabinet secretary, and Catherine Little, the Cabinet Office’s permanent secretary, have been aware since March that Mandelson failed a security vetting process weeks before his appointment as ambassador to Washington. Downing Street said Starmer only learned of the issue on Tuesday this week.
The delay has raised concerns about the influence of civil servants over ministers. A government source insisted Little did not “sit on the information” but was involved in a complex process of “expedited checks” to share highly sensitive information. Romeo was supportive of the plan, the source added.
At the centre of the controversy is a document from UK Security Vetting (UKSV) dated 28 January 2025, which recommended against granting Mandelson clearance. The Foreign Office overruled that recommendation. The Cabinet Office said Little undertook expedited checks after receiving the document, including seeking legal advice and information from the Foreign Office, and informed the prime minister as soon as these were concluded.
Prior to the Guardian’s report on Thursday, officials were divided over whether to disclose the document to the intelligence and security committee, with some raising national security concerns. The process involved up to a dozen officials and lawyers aware of the vetting failure.
