Prime Minister Keir Starmer has ordered an investigation into any security concerns raised during Peter Mandelson’s tenure as UK ambassador to the US, following revelations about the vetting process. In a statement to the House of Commons, Starmer described the handling of Mandelson’s appointment as “frankly staggering”.
Starmer confirmed that Mandelson was initially denied developed vetting clearance by UK Security Vetting (UKSV) in January 2025, but the Foreign Office overruled this decision a day later. The prime minister noted that this overruling power, not available to other departments, has since been suspended. He stressed that the decision to overrule was not communicated to him or other senior ministers.
“Throughout the whole timeline of events, officials in the Foreign Office saw fit to withhold this information from the most senior ministers in our system in government,” Starmer told MPs. He added that this was not how politics, government, or accountability should work.
Starmer also announced changes to the appointment process, ensuring that no ambassadorial appointee can be publicly named before passing security vetting. Previously, for direct ministerial appointments, vetting could occur after the announcement but before starting the post. The prime minister said he changed this rule after sacking Mandelson.
The Cabinet Office’s government security group has been tasked with examining any security concerns raised during Mandelson’s tenure. Starmer’s detailed chronology revealed that vetting took place in December 2024 and January 2025, after the appointment was announced.
