Mandelson received sensitive Foreign Office briefings before vetting finished

Peter Mandelson was appointed as the UK ambassador to the US despite the UK’s vetting agency concluding he should be denied clearance. Photograph: James Manning/PA

Peter Mandelson was receiving sensitive security briefings about the Foreign Office’s work, and was in discussions with the head of MI6, before he had completed the developed vetting process, newly released documents reveal.

Declassified emails show the ambassador designate and Richard Moore, the former chief of MI6 – a role known as “C” – had agreed to meet in early January 2025 before Mandelson went to Washington.