Keir Starmer was not informed about sensitive information regarding Peter Mandelson’s failed security vetting for weeks, despite two senior civil servants, including the cabinet secretary, being aware since March, the Guardian can reveal. The prime minister described the delay as “unforgivable” and “staggering”.
Olly Robbins was forced out as permanent secretary of the Foreign Office on Thursday after it emerged his department granted Mandelson developed vetting clearance against the advice of the UK Security Vetting (UKSV) agency. Now it has emerged that cabinet secretary Antonia Romeo and Cabinet Office permanent secretary Catherine Little failed to immediately notify Starmer when they discovered the vetting failure in January 2025.
Downing Street said Starmer only learned of the issue on Tuesday this week. The Guardian has established that Romeo and Little have known since March. A government source insisted Little did not “sit on the information” but was involved in a complex process to assess risks of sharing highly sensitive material, including with the prime minister.
The Cabinet Office said Little undertook “expedited checks” after receiving the UKSV document, including legal advice and consideration of whether disclosure would prejudice criminal proceedings. “As soon as these checks were conducted, the prime minister was informed,” a spokesperson said.
The delay has raised concerns about whether Starmer’s government is being run by mandarins rather than ministers. At the centre of the controversy is a UKSV summary document from January 2025 that identified highly sensitive concerns and recommended Mandelson be denied clearance—a recommendation overruled by the Foreign Office.
