Prime Minister Keir Starmer has admitted that his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington was a fundamental mistake, as he faced a stormy session in parliament over the vetting scandal. Starmer accused former Foreign Office permanent secretary Olly Robbins of deliberately obstructing the truth about the failed security clearance.
In a sombre address to the Commons, Starmer insisted the Foreign Office was to blame for a 'staggering' decision not to brief him or Downing Street about the vetting advice. He said the vetting information had now been handed to the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), which is expected to assess it before public release. The Guardian understands this includes a summary document detailing Mandelson's personal life, financial dealings, and the recommendation that he had failed vetting.
Starmer claimed he had not misled parliament, despite admitting his previous version of events was wrong. He said: 'A deliberate decision was taken to withhold that material from me. This was not a lack of asking. This wasn't an oversight. It was a decision taken not to share that information on repeated occasions.'
Labour MPs expressed fury at the scandal's resurgence, though many believed Starmer had been kept in the dark. The prime minister has ordered an investigation into security concerns over Mandelson's tenure, amid fears of potential leaks. It also emerged that Robbins overturned the vetting failure within 24 hours, and that Simon Case, a former cabinet secretary, had advised Starmer to complete vetting before appointing Mandelson—but was ignored.
Robbins is due to appear before the Commons foreign affairs committee on Tuesday, with Downing Street braced for new revelations. The prime minister's position puts him on a collision course with the former official, as the government seeks to move on from the scandal.
