Prime Minister Keir Starmer has described as “unforgivable” his failure to be informed that Peter Mandelson had failed security vetting before his appointment as ambassador to Washington. Speaking publicly for the first time since the Guardian broke the story, Starmer said he was “furious” and that no minister had been told about the vetting outcome.
Starmer’s spokesperson squarely blamed the Foreign Office, stating that Downing Street had “repeatedly” sought the facts of the case but was not told that UK Security Vetting had recommended against granting clearance. When asked if this amounted to a cover-up, the spokesperson did not reject the suggestion, saying it was “staggering” that the prime minister was not informed.
The controversy erupted after the Guardian revealed that Mandelson, a former peer, had failed security checks before his appointment in late 2024. Concerns had been raised about his relationship with convicted child trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, including emails showing he shared sensitive government information with Epstein while working for Gordon Brown. Mandelson denies any wrongdoing.
Sources indicated that security officials recommended denying clearance but were overruled. It remains unclear who authorised the clearance. Starmer sacked Olly Robbins, the most senior Foreign Office civil servant, on Thursday night. Starmer will address Parliament on Monday to provide a full account, and an urgent inquiry has been ordered.
Ciaran Martin, a former senior civil servant and friend of Robbins, said Robbins appeared to have been made a scapegoat. Martin argued that vetting is a risk assessment, not a simple pass or fail, and that it is standard for officials to decide on risk without informing ministers, otherwise the system would collapse.
