Keir Starmer has said it was “unforgivable” that he was not told Peter Mandelson had failed his security vetting before taking up the role of ambassador to Washington. The prime minister said he was “furious” about what happened and insisted he had not known that security officials had recommended denying Mandelson clearance.
At a media briefing, Starmer’s spokesperson squarely blamed the Foreign Office, stating that Downing Street had “repeatedly” sought the facts of the case but was not informed. Asked whether this amounted to a cover-up, the spokesperson did not reject the suggestion, saying: “The prime minister was not informed and he’s made clear that it is staggering that he was not informed.”
Mandelson was appointed to the post in late 2024 despite concerns among senior government members about his relationship with convicted child trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Sources said security officials recommended against granting clearance, but were overruled. Starmer sacked Olly Robbins, the most senior civil servant in the Foreign Office, on Thursday night.
Starmer will appear before MPs on Monday to give a statement about what happened, saying he intends “to set out all the relevant facts in true transparency”. An urgent inquiry has been ordered, with terms of reference to be announced soon. Meanwhile, the Commons foreign affairs select committee has invited Robbins to give evidence on Tuesday.
Ciaran Martin, a former senior civil servant and close friend of Robbins, said Robbins appeared to have been made a scapegoat. Martin argued that vetting was a “risk assessment”, not a simple pass or fail, and that it was standard for officials to decide on the balance of risk without informing ministers.
