Starmer did not lie and has not considered quitting over Mandelson row – Jones

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (R) and then British ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson during a welcome reception at the ambassador’s residence in Washington (Carl Court/PA) - (PA Archive)

Sir Keir Starmer did not lie to MPs and will not quit over the Lord Peter Mandelson scandal, his right-hand man in government has said.

Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones said Sir Keir was “furious” that the Foreign Office overruled a recommendation by security experts not to clear Lord Peter Mandelson to become UK ambassador to the US, something the premier only found out about this week.