Kemi Badenoch has said the prime minister is “taking public for fools” as he faces mounting pressure for not notifying parliament of Lord Mandelson’s failed security vetting.
In a conference today, the Tory leader said: “We know that No10 was told that Mandelson had failed his vetting because journalists told them in September last year.
“This leaves us with two possibilities, either the prime minister is lying or he is so incompetent that he is unfit to run the country.
“Either way, his position is untenable,” she added.
It comes as opposition MPs urge him to follow in the footsteps of Sir Olly Robbins, the Foreign Office’s most senior civil servant, who was confirmed to be leaving his role on Thursday over the revelations.
The prime minister said he was “furious” that he was not told about the failed security vetting and said he will “set out the relevant facts” in parliament on Monday.
Sir Keir has previously insisted due process was followed in the appointment, and that Lord Mandelson had lied about the extent of his links with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Key points
- Badenoch says PM is ‘taking public for fools’
- Lib Dems report Prime Minister to ethics adviser for breach of Ministerial Code
- Exclusive: No10 knew Mandelson failed security vetting seven months ago
- Starmer is 'furious' he wasn't told about vetting
- Farage accuses Starmer of using sacked civil servant as ‘sacrificial lamb’
- PM facing calls to resign
Who is Olly Robbins? Meet the former Brexit bogeyman who now represents the biggest threat to Starmer
16:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSir Olly Robbins has been sacked from his role in the Foreign Office following revelations that the department overruled security vetting for Lord Peter Mandelson's appointment as UK ambassador to the US.
It is understood that Sir Keir Starmer and foreign secretary Yvette Cooper have expressed a loss of confidence in the Foreign Office’s most senior civil servant.
Security officials had initially denied clearance for the disgraced Labour peer, but Foreign Office officials took the unusual step of overriding this recommendation, Downing Street said.
Read more here:
Who is Olly Robbins? The man sacked over Mandelson vetting scandal
What is Developed Vetting? The highest level of security clearance in the UK
16:06 , Harriette BoucherThe main focus of the UK’s vetting system is to weed out liars or those who are vulnerable to being blackmailed.
The system is believed to cost at least £80,000 per person, and involves cross checking every detail of the subject’s personal lives.
Those being vetted will be quizzed on their use of porn, sex life, drug and drinking experiences and habits, affairs, kinks, family contacts, and travel history.
Agents for the United Kingdom Security Vetting service will use every possible resource, overt and covert, to scrutinise candidates.
Open source information on friendships abroad, foreign contacts, financial relationships, associations with known convicted criminals would emerge.
So would gaps in financial reporting, unexplained loads and gifts would be highlighted
Read more about the UK’s vetting process here.
Badenoch demands all Mandelson files to be released by next week
15:39 , Harriette BoucherKemi Badenoch said she is demanding the government to publish all files relating to the appointment of Peter Mandelson by the end of next week.
The Tory leader is “considering every parliamentary option” for removing Keir Starmer when asked if she would call a vote of no confidence.
“The fact is, the country gave Labour a landslide two years ago. I do not have enough Conservatives MPs to win a vote of no confidence,” she said.
“The people who can do that, who can make this happen, are Labour MPs.
“Labour MPs now need to decide whether they're going to be complicit in this cover-up and keep this man there to save their jobs, or whether they are going to do the right thing.”
Badenoch: Starmer is taking the public for fools
15:32 , Harriette BoucherThe Labour government is 'distracted by its own scandal'
15:25 , Harriette BoucherKemi Badenoch has hit out at a government “distracted by its own scandal” as she calls for Starmer to go.
“The drip, drip, drip of revelations is doing real damage,” she said. “It damages trust in government, it damages trust in institutions.
“He cannot deny that he has recklessly misled the house, he cannot deny that this is his unforgivable failure.
“How could a former chief prosecutor not have asked basic questions about what went wrong in this appointment?
“He cannot hide behind the line ‘don’t blame me, i’m just the prime minister’.”
No 10 should release documents that followed The Independent informing it of Mandelson's failed vetting
15:17 , Harriette BoucherAsked if she would like to see papers released on Mandelson regarding happened inside Downing Street after The Independent told that director of communications he had failed his vetting, Kemi Badenoch said: “I did see David Maddox's image of the message which he sent to Tim Allen, an official, the Director of Communications, one of the most senior officials in number 10.
“That is very significant, back in September, these questions were asked. I find it very hard to believe that the director of communications did not tell anyone or even ask anybody before answering.
“He did not deny the claims. That is one of the reasons why I think that they knew more than they are pretending to know. Now, I think it is very significant that we are seeing that questions were asked and answers were denied.
“This is a cover up one way or another, the humble address which we put, which we put forward, should also lead to release of documents that follow what happened after David Maddox asked those questions.
“So after The Independent asked those questions, I am very concerned now that a lot of documents are not being released because they will show the extent of this cover up and just how incompetent the operation in number 10 going right up to the prime minister has been,” she said.
Labour First Minister of Wales criticised for not speaking out against Starmer
15:06 , Harriette BoucherPlaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth has accused Baroness Eluned Morgan, the Labour First Minister of Wales, of being "unwilling to speak out" following the latest revelations about the vetting of Lord Peter Mandelson.
Mr ap Iorwerth said: "Keir Starmer says it is 'staggering' he was not told that Peter Mandelson had failed security vetting.
"What is truly staggering is that he expects the public to believe him. It is now clear that he is either lying or utterly unfit to be Prime Minister.
"In the face of such serious questions, Eluned Morgan's silence is indefensible.
"At a time when bold leadership is required, we have a First Minister in hiding, unwilling to speak out and unwilling to hold her own party boss to account.
"The First Minister has repeatedly said she will call out Keir Starmer when necessary - this is one of those times when she should be doing so.
"She should call on him to resign, out of respect to Epstein's victims and in the interests of restoring integrity to public life."
‘The stench of cover up is now overwhelming’
15:01 , Harriette BoucherWhitehall Editor Kate Devlin reports:
Kemi Badenoch told a hastily arranged press conference in London: “It's even being reported this week that the government was considering hiding the fact that Mandelson failed the vetting from the release of the files.
“Every time they have come up with a new excuse, it has left us with more questions than answers.
“The stench of cover up is now overwhelming.”
Prime minister is either lying or is too 'incompetent' to run country, says Tory leader
14:57 , Harriette BoucherThere are two scenarios that could have played out with the Mandelson failed vetting scandal, Kemi Badenoch has said.
“We know that No10 was told that Mandelson had failed his vetting because journalists told them in September last year,” she told a press conference.
“This leaves us with two possibilities, either the prime minister is lying or he is so incompetent that he is unfit to run the country.
“Either way, his position is untenable,” she added.
The Tory leader hit out at the prime minister for “pinning the blame of everyone else.
“He is undermining the very fabric that underpins government.”
Badenoch: 'Starmer's position is untenable'
14:52 , Harriette BoucherKemi Badenoch has said it the prime minister’s position is untenable, as she calls for him to go.
Speaking from a press conference on Friday, the Tory leader accused Starmer of misleading the public.
“He has mislead parliament and he has mislead the country on an issue of national security. Nothing is more serious.
“Despite it being known that his appointment would pose a risk to national security, somehow he was appointed anyway.
“The prime minister is now asking us to believe that no one in government thought to tell him or his team that Mandleson had failed vetting, that the first he heard about it was on Tuesday night. This is preposterous.”
Analysis: Mandelson’s vetting process should have been intrusive and embarrassing
14:27 , Harriette BoucherDeveloped Vetting is designed to insulate the UK against employing people in sensitive jobs who are vulnerable to blackmail or bribery, writes Sam Kiley:
The process that should take months, but was telescoped into weeks, resulted in the failure of Peter Mandelson to pass Developed Vetting for one of the most sensitive jobs for Britain in the world.
Its main focus is to exposure liars and anyone vulnerable to blackmail.
The vetting system is intentionally intrusive. It is believed to cost at least £80,000 per person, and involves cross checking every detail of the subject’s personal lives.
Those who have been through it know that the key is candour when faced with the searching questions in interviews about the use of porn, your sex life, drug and drinking experiences and habits, affairs, kinks, family contacts, travel history.
Agents for the United Kingdom Security Vetting service will use every possible resource, overt and covert, to scrutinise candidates.
Open source information on friendships abroad, foreign contacts, financial relationships, associations with known convicted criminals would emerge. So would gaps in financial reporting, unexplained loads and gifts would be highlighted.
“These are all the necessary parts of making sure that whatever is in someone’s background that makes them vulnerable - we know about it - so that they are less likely to be pressed into betraying their country for financial gain or through blackmail,” said a UK based former civil servant who has gone through the vetting process.
“You can admit to some quite dodgy stuff and still pass - but lying is a red flag fail.”
Mandelson’s vetting process should have been intrusive and embarrassing
Farage urges people to sign petition to 'get Starmer out'
14:08 , Harriette BoucherNigel Farage has said it’s time to “get rid of this awful, unpatriotic prime minister”, as he urges people to sign Reform UK’s ‘Get Starmer Out’ petition.
In a post on social media, the Reform leader said: “Starmer has misled parliament, he’s lied to the public.
“They knew that Peter Mandelson had failed vetting, and they still sent him to Washington.
“Enough is enough, it’s time to get Starmer out.”
Who is Olly Robbins? Meet the former Brexit bogeyman who now represents the biggest threat to Starmer
13:56 , Harriette BoucherNicole Wootton-Cane reports:
Sir Olly Robbins first emerged into the spotlight during the tumultuous Brexit years.
The Oxford-educated 50-year-old was a central figure behind former prime minister Theresa May’s troubled Brexit deal and was consistently criticised for his role in negotiations, as well as by Eurosceptics for thwarting the process.
He took charge of negotiations with the EU mid-way through talks, after then Brexit secretary David Davis was sidelined because of a lack of progress, but the deal was rejected repeatedly by the Commons.
Before his Brexit fame, he had worked for every prime minister since Sir Tony Blair and was known as a highly influential but low-profile civil servant.
The public schoolboy went straight from studying politics, philosophy and economics at Oxford to the Treasury in 1996, where he rose steadily through the ranks until he was approached by Sir Tony to become his principal private secretary.
After the 2010 general election, then prime minister David Cameron made Sir Olly deputy national security adviser, where he was responsible for intelligence, security and resilience.
Who is Olly Robbins? The man sacked over Mandelson vetting scandal
Comment: Can Keir Starmer survive the Mandelson vetting scandal?
13:45 , Harriette BoucherDespite calls for the prime minister to go, his opponents have only two lines of attack – that he knew about Mandelson failed vetting and thus lied to Parliament, or that he wasn’t told, which makes him incompetent. He won’t be resigning any time soon, says Sean O’Grady:
How likely is Keir Starmer to survive the Mandelson vetting scandal?
No 10 refuses to be drawn on whether Starmer has misled parliament
13:35 , Harriette BoucherPolitics reporter Athena Stavrou writes:
Downing Street has said parliament had “a right to know” that Peter Mandelson had failed his security vetting, but would not say whether the prime minister had misled the house.
Asked whether Sir Keir Starmer had misled Parliament over his vetting, a Downing Street spokesman said: “He’s very clear that Parliament had a right to know this, and indeed that he had a right to know this, and that it’s completely staggering that UK Security Vetting recommended against the developed vetting security clearance for Peter Mandelson and that he was not told, the Foreign Secretary was not told and as a result Parliament was not told.”
The spokesman would not be drawn on whether Sir Keir thought he had been misled by the Foreign Office, saying: “He’s said that it’s staggering that he wasn’t told that he’d failed his developed vetting when he was telling Parliament that due process had been followed.
“And this is why he has ordered an urgent investigation into how this decision was taken and why he was not informed earlier.”
Downing Street has said it does not accept that the Foreign Office felt pressure to overrule UK Security Vetting's recommendation that Lord Peter Mandelson not receive developed vetting clearance.
Asked whether Number 10 would accept that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office felt pressured over the appointment, a Downing Street spokesman said: "No.
"The security vetting process that the Foreign Office led obviously took place following the appointment, as is often the case in these appointments, but at no point - the Prime Minister has said he finds it completely staggering that at no point in that vetting process the fact that UK Security Vetting had recommended against providing Peter Mandelson developed vetting was ever communicated to Number 10."
No 10 insist no one knew Mandelson had failed vetting - despite The Independent telling them
13:18 , Maryam Zakir-HussainPolitics reporter Athena Stavrou writes:
Downing Street has insisted no one in No 10 knew that security services had recommended against Lord Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador - despite The Independent telling them several sources had made the claims seven months ago.
The Independent’s political editor David Maddox put the revelations to No 10 last year, and was told the vetting had been done “in the normal way”.
However on Friday, a Downing Street spokesperson denied anyone at no 10 was aware of the recommendation.
Challenged about The Independent’s reporting, Downing Street said it did not “accept that a media inquiry is equivalent… No 10, as I say, repeatedly asked about the facts of this case from the Foreign Office, and were never told the UK security vetting had recommended.”
PM will not resign over Mandelson, Downing Street says
13:15 , Maryam Zakir-HussainDowning Street have once again had to insist the prime minister will not resign over the latest Peter Mandelson revelations.
Asked on Friday whether Sir Keir Starmer will step down, a Downing Street spokesperson said: “No, and that you've heard the fact he wasn't told about the fact that Peter Mandelson failed vetting when he was appointed was being staggering.”
Earlier, chief secretary to the prime minister Darren Jones said that his Labour colleagues are not reconsidering Sir Keir as their leader - despite yet more facts coming to light about Lord Peter Mandelson’s ill-considered appointment as US ambassador.
Comment: Keir Starmer plays the ignorance card… good luck with that
13:00 , Harriette BoucherJohn Rentoul writes:
Ignorance is no defence, unless you are a prime minister trying to convince people that you didn’t “knowingly mislead” parliament, which is a resigning matter.
The case for Keir Starmer is that he misled the House of Commons – but he didn’t do so knowingly, because he didn’t know that Peter Mandelson had failed his security vetting.
Unless it can be shown that Starmer did know, therefore, he is not going to resign yet, despite demands from the excitable opposition parties.
But the spreading contagion from the decision to appoint Mandelson to Washington is going to continue to eat away at what is left of the prime minister’s reputation, and is likely to shorten his tenure of 10 Downing Street.
The latest twist in the Mandelson story has been brewing for some time. David Maddox, our political editor, reported in September last year, the day after Mandelson was sacked, that the new ambassador “did not pass MI6 vetting”.
When this was put to the prime minister’s spokesperson, the response was: “Vetting done by FCDO in normal way.”
It was not a denial – and was a line presumably provided to No 10 by the Foreign Office, but the significance was lost in the hue and cry over Mandelson’s departure.
Labour politician swerves Starmer resignation question three times amid Mandelson vetting row
12:45 , Harriette BoucherLib Dems report Prime Minister to ethics adviser for breach of Ministerial Code
12:33 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOur Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
The Liberal Democrats have formally reported Sir Keir Starmer to Sir Laurie Magnus for failing to notify Parliament as soon as he knew Lord Mandelson failed security vetting.
The Liberal Democrats’ report to ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus argues the Prime Minister has breached the Ministerial Code, which states that it is of "paramount importance" that Ministers give accurate information to Parliament and correct any errors "at the earliest opportunity".
A government spokesperson confirmed this week that the Prime Minister was informed "earlier this week" that Lord Mandelson had actually failed security vetting.
The revelations about the vetting failure were reported late afternoon on Thursday.
The Liberal Democrats have pointed out that despite knowing Mandelson had failed vetting, the Prime Minister failed to update Parliament during Wednesday’s Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs), choosing instead to withhold the information until it surfaced through the media.
The party’s Cabinet Office spokesperson Lisa Smart has written to Laurie Magnus to report the potential breach of ministerial code code.
Lisa Smart MP, Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office Spokesperson, said: “The Prime Minister failed to tell Parliament that he knew Mandelson had been denied vetting on Wednesday, presumably crossing his fingers and hoping the truth would not come out. What a shameful way for a Prime Minister to behave.
“To stand in front of the dispatch box and deny Parliament such crucial information looks like a serious breach of ministerial code. That’s why I’ve written to the ethics adviser to report this breach and ask him to investigate at the earliest opportunity.
“Starmer made catastrophic errors of judgment from the very beginning of the Mandelson scandal and it seems he has just kept on making them. His position is now untenable.”
Who is Olly Robbins? The civil servant ousted over Mandelson vetting row
12:30 , Harriette BoucherOlly Robbins, the Foreign Office’s most senior civil servant, was sacked from his role yesterday following revelations about Lord Peter Mandelson’s vetting process.
The civil servant was appointed in January last year, a month after Mandelson’s appointment had been confirmed - but a month before he took up post.
It is understood that Sir Keir Starmer and foreign secretary Yvette Cooper have expressed a loss of confidence in Sir Olly, the permanent under-secretary.
Sir Olly came from a role in a global strategic advisory firm, where he was partner and head of Europe, Middle East and Africa at Hakluyt.
He has previously worked at Goldman Sachs and also held senior leadership roles in the Cabinet Office, HM Treasury, Downing Street and as the Second Permanent Secretary in the Home Office and Permanent Secretary in the Department for Exiting the European Union.
At the time of his appointment, David Lammy said: “I have set out from day one that I want to rewire the FCDO to act as the international delivery arm of this government’s missions, as well as devising our broader international strategy.
“Olly Robbins is exactly the person to help me deliver this and I am delighted to welcome him into the FCDO.”
Labour affiliated union calls for Labour leadership contest as anger grows
12:17 , Harriette BoucherThe Independent’s Whitehall Editor Kate Devlin reports:
Maryam Eslamdoust, the general secretary of the Labour affiliated TSSA union, which represents transport and travel workers, said the party was “in danger of being irreversibly tainted by this latest instalment in the Mandelson scandal and Keir Starmer's handling of it. As a party, we are losing the right to be heard on the doorstep when we are out campaigning for the elections.
“Keir Starmer's claim that he knew nothing about Mandelson's failed security clearance is a very hard sell to voters.It's clearly not good enough, and at the very least, Keir has lost control by presiding over such reckless conduct. Labour needs a leadership contest.”
The Labour MP Jon Trickett also said: “It simply doesn’t sound credible for Keir Starmer to claim that he was unaware that Mandelson had been denied security clearance. If the PM did not know, it raises gravely serious issues about the way we are governed. Either way, the excuses coming from Downing Street won't cut it on the doorstep in the run-up to the local elections.”
Farage 'not in the least bit surprised' Mandelson failed vetting
12:13 , Harriette BoucherNigel Farage has said he is “not surprised” Peter Mandelson failed security vetting.
“I’m not in the least bit surprised that he failed vetting,” he said.
“I mean think of the two reasons that he left cabinet, think of when he was European commissioner, the relationship with (Russian oligarch Oleg) Deripaska, aluminium tariffs, need I say more?”
He added: “The fact that it was ignored and that the prime minister knew what the vetting was, it once again casts further doubt on the judgement of the prime minister’.”
In pictures: Starmer arrives at the Elysee Palace to meet Macron amid Mandelson vetting scandal
12:00 , Harriette BoucherKeir Starmer has arrived at the Elysee Palace in Paris to meet Emmanuel Macron as the two leaders chair a meeting on opening the Strait of Hormuz.
With around 40 countries expected to join the summit, Starmer and Macron will address a “global responsibility” to open the Strait of Hormuz and support the fragile ceasefire in the region.
Meanwhile, in the UK, the prime minister is facing calls for him to resign over Peter Mandelson’s failed security vetting.
'Doesn't sound credible' that Starmer didn't know about failed vetting
11:48 , Harriette BoucherA Labour backbencher has said it "doesn't sound credible" that Sir Keir Starmer was unaware Lord Peter Mandelson had failed his security vetting.
Veteran MP Jon Trickett said: “It simply doesn't sound credible for Keir Starmer to claim that he was unaware that Mandelson had been denied security clearance.
“If the PM did not know, it raises gravely serious issues about the way we are governed.
“Either way, the excuses coming from Downing Street won't cut it on the doorstep in the run-up to the local elections.”
In pictures: Mandelson takes his dog for a walk on Friday morning as crisis erupts over his failed vetting
11:38 , Harriette Boucher
Ed Davey: Starmer must be investigated to determine whether he committed contempt of parliament
11:38 , Harriette BoucherEd Davey has said the prime minister must be investigated by the privilege committee on whether he misled parliament over Peter Mandelson’s appointment.
The Liberal Democrat leader has that the powerful Commons committee must determine whether Keir Starmer has committed contempt of parliament.
Speaking to The Guardian on Friday, he said: “We need to get to the bottom of exactly what Keir Starmer knew when, and whether he intentionally misled parliament over this appalling scandal. The public deserves the truth, not another cover-up.
“If it turns out that Starmer was aware at the time that Mandelson’s security vetting was overruled, that would represent a major abuse of power and a betrayal of the national interest.
“Boris Johnson eventually resigned after misleading parliament. If Starmer has done the same, he must be held to the same standard.”
Starmer arrives in Paris for talks as he faces calls for resignation
11:34 , Harriette BoucherKeir Starmer has arrived at the Elysee Palace in Paris for international talks on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
He shook hands with the French president Emmanuel Macron in the courtyard of the palace before the summit later today.
The talks come as the prime minister faces a growing crisis at home, with several opposition MPs calling for his resignation.
PM 'furious' he was not told Labour peer failed vetting as he faces calls to resign
11:32 , Harriette BoucherOlly Robbins called on to give evidence over Mandelson vetting scandal
11:28 , Harriette BoucherOusted civil servant Sir Olly Robbins has been called on to give evidence on Lord Peter Mandelson’s failed vetting next week.
The chair of the foreign affairs committee has written to him, requesting that he appear on Tuesday.
Sir Olly has previously given evidence to the committee on the vetting and clearance of Lord Mandelson, alongside Sir Chris Wormald, then-cabinet secretary and head of the civil service.
Exclusive: No10 knew Mandelson failed security vetting seven months ago
11:15 , Harriette BoucherThe Independent’s Political Editor David Maddox has the story:
Downing Street knew Peter Mandelson had failed security vetting for the US ambassador role seven months ago – when concerns were first raised with No10 by The Independent.
This publication revealed on 11 September last year that MI6 had failed to clear the Labour peer, largely because of concerns over his business links to China.
Those concerns were put to No10, but the then-director of communications, Tim Allen, insisted: “Vetting done by FCDO [Foreign and Commonwealth Office] in normal way”.
Now, Downing Street is attempting to claim that Sir Keir was only made aware of the issue this week when documents detailing his appointment came to light.
The prime minister has said it was “staggering” and “unforgivable” that he had not been told earlier, adding he was "furious".
No10 knew Mandelson failed security vetting seven months ago
The most disturbing detail hidden in the Mandelson files
11:14 , Harriette Boucher“How can you miss something like that?”
The 147-page ‘Mandelson files’ have laid bare how clearly Keir Starmer was warned about Peter Mandelson’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein. But the documents also raise other questions about what’s going on inside No 10.
In this clip from the latest episode of In The Room, last month, Helen and Cleo point out one very specific, incorrect, and “horrible” bit of wording.
Starmer repeatedly denies he was told Mandelson had failed security vettings
11:13 , Harriette BoucherThe Independent’s Political Reporter Athena Stavrou reports:
Sir Keir Starmer has been facing tough questions about his claims he was not told that Lord Peter Mandelson had failed security vetting - and what it means for his leadership.
Speaking to broadcasters on Friday, the prime minister was adamant he had not been told that Foreign Office officials had overruled security service advice when he appointed Mandelson as US ambassador.
Asked if it was believable that a senior civil servant would make this decision on a political appointee alone, Sir Keir insisted: “I was not told that he had failed security vetting. No minister was told that he had failed security vetting. Number 10 wasn't told that it failed security vetting.”
Asked if the latest revelations showed he did not have a grip on his government, he said: “I was not told that security betting had failed. That is shocking. It is unacceptable, and I intend to set out the full facts to parliament on Monday.”
Scottish Labour leader repeats his call for Starmer to resign saying 'I stand by my position'
11:12 , Harriette BoucherThe Independent’s Whitehall Editor Kate Devlin reports:
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, speaking as he campaigned in Edinburgh for the Scottish Parliament election, said the scandal around Lord Mandelson was the "tipping point" which led to his earlier call for Sir Keir Starmer to quit.
Asked if he thought the Prime Minister had misled Parliament about vetting, Mr Sarwar told the Press Association: "These are questions that of course have to be answered by Downing Street - in the Parliament and also in any appropriate parliamentary committees."
But he added: "I stated my position back in February, I stand by my position, I don't recoil from it. And many people will know that the Mandelson scandal was the tipping point for me."
Starmer 'furious' he wasn't told about vetting
11:05 , Harriette BoucherKeir Starmer has said he is “furious” and it was “unforgivable” that neither he nor any minister was told Lord Peter Mandelson had failed security vetting, and he will “set out the relevant facts” in parliament on Monday.
The prime minister said it was "staggering" and "unforgivable" that he had not been told Lord Mandelson had failed security vetting, adding he was "furious".
“That I wasn't told that Peter Mandelson had failed security vetting when he was appointed is staggering.
"That I wasn't told that he had failed security vetting when I was telling Parliament that due process had been followed is unforgivable.
"Not only was I not told, no minister was told, and I'm absolutely furious about that.
"What I intend to do is to go to Parliament on Monday to set out all the relevant facts in true transparency, so Parliament has the full picture."
Labour MP plays down latest Mandelson revelations
10:44 , Harriette BoucherThe Independent’s political journalist Athena Stavrou reports:
As their leader fights once again for his political life over the latest revelations about Lord Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador, some Labour MPs are trying to play down the furore.
Patrick Hurley, the Labour MP for Southport, told Sky News it was “a big fuss over nothing”.
“Olly Robbins isn’t even a household name in his own household, and the general public will be utterly bemused that this has come up again in the media discourse,” he said.
"The idea that the prime minister will be forced out over the appointment of someone to an ambassadorial role is like something out of a bad US sitcom that gets cancelled after three shows.”
'Starmer has run out of fall guys, he must do the decent thing and resign', SNP leader says
10:29 , Harriette BoucherThe prime minister should “do the decent thing and resign”, the SNP leader has said.
"The resignation of Olly Robbins does not get the prime minister off the hook - it only raises more questions," Stephen Flynn said.
"Keir Starmer has run out of excuses, and fall guys, to blame for his own bad judgment and incompetence. He should do the decent thing and resign - before he is forced out."
It follows his post on social media last night, in which he wrote: “The Prime Minister is either incompetent, gullible or a liar. Or all three.”
Labour MPs fury over Mandelson scandal
10:21 , Harriette BoucherThe Independent’s Whitehall Editor Kate Devlin reports:
Labour MPs are angry over the latest Mandelson scandal engulfing their government.
On the claims that Keir Starmer did not know that his appointment as US ambassador had failed vetting, one Labour MP told The Independent: “Clearly he should have been aware. Either he wasn't told, which is his problem for not asking, or he was told and he ignored it....”
Another said of his fellow Labour MPs: “I think combined with the likely local election losses, there will be a growing post-May sense that loyalty increasingly looks like complicity.”
Where is Keir Starmer today?
10:10 , Harriette BoucherThe prime minister is currently making his way to Paris to co-host a meeting with Emmanuel Macron later today, as he faces calls for his resignation back home.
Keir Starmer and the French president will address a “global responsibility” to open the Strait of Hormuz and support the fragile ceasefire in the region.
Around 40 countries are expected to join the summit, which will begin later today.
He is expected to give a statement alongside Macron at around 4.15pm.
Starmer criticised for not addressing the Commons sooner
09:51 , Harriette BoucherThe Independent’s political journalist Athena Stavrou reports:
Sir Keir Starmer’s decision not to deliver a statement to the House of Commons on the latest Lord Peter Mandelson revelation has become a point of criticism for political opposition.
The prime minister was told on Tuesday evening that Foreign Office officials had decided to overrule a recommendation from the security service on Lord Mandelson’s clearance to become US ambassador.
Chief secretary to the prime minister Darren Jones said Sir Keir had decided to wait to get the “full facts” on the matter before addressing the house, which he said had not happened before the House rose for the weekend on Thursday.
But Kemi Badenoch said Sir Keir has breached the ministerial code by failing to notify Parliament that he had told it “something that isn’t true” at the earliest opportunity.
“The earliest opportunity was Wednesday, during Prime Minister’s Questions, why didn’t he tell anyone that?,” she told the BBC.
“If it is true that they only just found out, they had an opportunity to say so, and they did not. That itself is a resignation offence.”
Not possible No10 didn't know about failed vetting, says Abbott
09:49 , Harriette BoucherDiane Abbot said Keir Starmer must “consider his position”, as she claims “it is not possible” that Downing Street did not know that Peter Mandelson failed security vetting.
“That’s not how the civil service works,” she told Sky News.
The MP for Hackney North who is currently sitting as an independent, said: “There must have been political clearance and No 10 would have known.
“It's just not possible that Number 10 didn't know. I think to try and pretend Number 10 didn't know, when anybody who follows those issues would know that that can't be true, is the kind of thing that undermines people's faith in politics.”
Senior Labour MP expects Starmer to make statement today
09:44 , Harriette BoucherA senior Labour MP expects Starmer to make a statement today in order to “dampen down” speculation and provide transparency.
Speaking to Times Radio, Jo White said: “I’m sure we want to dampen down the speculation and the stories that come out in the weekend press. So I’m hoping that he will make a statement. But what he needs to do is come to the House of Commons and be questioned by his peers.
“I think what every Labour MP is asking for today is absolute transparency and we want that information now. We cannot make assumptions or presume anything right now. We need as much information as possible... I want that information to come fast. I’m hoping that we get it very, very quickly.”
Badenoch says Starmer breached ministerial code after keeping quiet about Mandelson revelations at PMQ's
09:37 , Harriette BoucherKeir Starmer breached the ministerial code by failing to notify parliament that he had told it “something that isn't true” at the earliest opportunity, Kemi Badenoch has said.
The Tory leader told BBC: “Let's pretend that they only just found out about this, the ministerial code says that if you find out that you have told parliament something that isn't true, and you told parliament inadvertently, you need to tell the House at the earliest opportunity.
“The earliest opportunity was Wednesday, during Prime Minister's Questions, why didn't he tell anyone that?
“If it is true that they only just found out, they had an opportunity to say so, and they did not. That itself is a resignation offence.”
Mandelson files deconstructed: How 147 pages add up to very little
09:33 , Harriette BoucherIn this clip from the latest episode of In The Room last week, Helen and Cleo report back after combing through the first Mandelson file drop, page by page – and find it coming up rather short.
From entirely blank pages to mysteriously unfilled forms, there’s a lot left to be desired from the files released by the government. Fortunately, there’s no one better placed to completely pick them apart than certified civil service nerd (and ex-deputy cabinet secretary) Helen MacNamara.
Starmer's chief of staff had previously advised against appointing someone due to failed vetting process, former aide says
09:20 , Harriette BoucherTheresa May’s former aide said that while he was in Downing Street, Sue Gray, who was later Starmer’s chief of staff, had advised against appointing someone because of a failed vetting.
“When I was in No10, somebody failed developed vetting before their proposed appointment to a sensitive post,” Nick Timothy, the shadow justice secretary said.
“We were told immediately, and were advised - correctly - that this person could not be appointed.
“Who gave that advice? Sue Gray - later Starmer’s chief of staff.”
Who is Olly Robbins? The top civil servant ousted over Mandelson vetting row
09:14 , Harriette BoucherSir Olly Robbins, the Foreign Office’s most senior civil servant, left his role yesterday following revelations about Lord Peter Mandelson’s vetting process.
The civil servant was appointed in January last year, a month after Mandelson’s appointment had been confirmed, but a month before he took up post.
It is understood that Sir Keir Starmer and foreign secretary Yvette Cooper have expressed a loss of confidence in Sir Olly, the permanent under-secretary.
Sir Olly came from a role in a global strategic advisory firm, where he was partner and head of Europe, Middle East and Africa at Hakluyt.
He has previously worked at Goldman Sachs and also held senior leadership roles in the Cabinet Office, HM Treasury, Downing Street and as the Second Permanent Secretary in the Home Office and Permanent Secretary in the Department for Exiting the European Union.
At the time of his appointment, David Lammy said: “I have set out from day one that I want to rewire the FCDO to act as the international delivery arm of this government’s missions, as well as devising our broader international strategy.
“Olly Robbins is exactly the person to help me deliver this and I am delighted to welcome him into the FCDO.”
Can Starmer survive this?
09:01 , Harriette BoucherAnalysis by Whitehall Editor Kate Devlin:
The appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador was supposed to solve problems for Keir Starmer - allowing a Prime Minister critics claim is not political enough to have a highly political ally in Washington dealing with a difficult White House.
But, not for the first time, the decision has put the PM’s job in peril.
The government's official line this morning is that the latest scandal is a “failure of state”.
And so the chief Mandarin at the foreign office has been fired.
Another defence of Sir Keir is that the public need a credible leader in a time of war.
It would be extraordinary if Sir Keir was forced out at such a movement of global instability and before next month’s local elections, widely expected to be disastrous for Labour.
But the anger of Labour MPs over the Mandelson scandal cannot be underestimated.
And blaming the state does not get around a fundamental problem for the Prime Minister - even if he did not know, he should have.
How do dodgy political appointments like Mandelson actually happen?
08:52 , Harriette BoucherHow do unwise political appointments, of all shapes and sizes, happen? In this In The Room clip from last month, former deputy cabinet secretary Helen MacNamara and ex-No 10 adviser Cleo Watson discuss the (not always perfect) process behind vetting.
Why was Peter Mandelson arrested and what is his history with Labour and Starmer?
08:43 , Harriette Boucher
The day must end with Starmer resigning, says Polanksi
08:39 , Harriette BoucherThere is no way today should end without Keir Starmer’s resignation, the Green Party leader has stated.
Zach Polanksi said: “Any other outcome would an absurd scenario where this Labour Government - and all in it - would be laughing in our faces.
“The ethics and morality are it are an important question. Just as vital and urgent is the fact it's all such a distraction.
“We have sky high bills and an energy crisis - we need to end Rip Off Britain. All attention needs to be on a Government capable of doing the basics.”
Farage accuses Starmer of using sacked civil servant as ‘sacrificial lamb’
08:35 , Harriette BoucherThe Independent’s political journalist Athena Stavrou reports:
Nigel Farage has accused the prime minister of using a top civil servant as a “sacrificial lamb” in an attempt to save his own position.
The Foreign Office’s top civil servant Sir Olly Robbins was effectively sacked after the revelation that officials took the rare step of overruling the recommendation from UK Security Vetting to clear Lord Peter Mandelson.
But the Reform UK leader suggested “there is no way” Sir Olly would have overruled security service advice alone, describing him as “one of the most professional civil servants in this country”.
“They are all over the place on this, it is totally unbelievable and Robbins, he’s the sacrificial lamb in an attempt to try and save the prime minister, and it just isn’t good enough,” Mr Farage told LBC.
He called for a “full-scale investigation” into the matter, and added the government’s explanation is: “Just not credible, not believable in any way at all. I am in absolutely no doubt in my mind that this prime minister misled the House of Commons and lied to the country outside of the House of Commons.”
Badenoch: Everyone involved in Mandelson scandal is gone - except Starmer
08:33 , Harriette BoucherKemi Badenoch has said everyone involved in the Mandelson scandal is now except for Starmer, as she calls for him to resign.
In a post on social media, the Tory leader wrote: “Keir Starmer has now sacked everyone involved in Mandelson’s appointment - Chris Wormald, Morgan McSweeney, Olly Robbins.
“But Starmer was ultimately the one who approved it. He’s got no one left to sack. It’s time for him to take responsibility. He should go.”
'I know he is lying’: Badenoch accuses Starmer of ‘taking us for fools’ over Mandelson vetting scandal
08:30 , Harriette BoucherThe Independent’s political journalist Athena Stavrou reports:
Kemi Badenoch has accused the prime minister of continuous lying over the decision to appoint Lord Peter Mandelson as US ambassador.
The Conservative Party leader said Sir Keir Starmer’s story “does not stack up” as she accused him of “taking us for fools”.
She argued it is "completely preposterous" that the prime minister had not been told that Lord Mandelson's clearance had not been advised by security service.
“It doesn't matter what story the prime minister is telling, at some point there is deliberate dishonesty, whether it's the cover up story or the original story,” she told LBC.
“It can't all be true. That's why I know that he is lying.”
Top civil servant is the 'sacrificial lamb', says Farage
08:22 , Harriette BoucherNigel Farage said Olly Robbins, the Foreign Office's top civil servant, was the "sacrificial lamb in an attempt to try and save the Prime Minister".
He told LBC: “None of this adds up, the idea they weren't told about the vetting.
“Remember, in the House of Commons, Starmer actually said that the vetting had told him about the ongoing relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, then outside of the House, in Hastings, he gave a speech in which he said that Mandelson had cleared security vetting.
“They are all over the place on this, it is totally unbelievable and Robbins, he's the sacrificial lamb in an attempt to try and save the Prime Minister, and it just isn't good enough.”
Starmer was right to say Mandelson passed vetting procedures, says Jones
08:18 , Harriette BoucherKeir Starmer was right to say Peter Mandelson had cleared security vetting procedures when he had been asked previously, Darren Jones has said.
“The Prime Minister was right... because the security and vetting process had been conducted and the Foreign Office granted what's called developed vetting status to allow for Peter Mandelson's appointment, so he had been through the process and he had been cleared by the Foreign Office to start the role, so the prime minister was right about that,” he told BBC.
“What the prime minister was not told until Tuesday evening this week was that the Foreign Office's decision to give that developed vetting status, and to appoint Peter Mandelson as ambassador, was against the recommendations of security and vetting officials.”
Today's front pages lead with Mandelson security vetting crisis
08:16 , Harriette Boucher
PM ‘furious with the state’ over Mandelson vetting
08:10 , Harriette BoucherThe Independent’s political journalist Athena Stavrou reports:
Sir Keir Starmer is “furious” after discovering the Foreign Office overruled security advice on Lord Peter Mandelson over his appointment as US ambassador.
Chief secretary to the prime minister Darren Jones denied the prime minister misled parliament over the former Labour peer’s security clearance, but said he was “furious with the state” over the process.
Mr Jones said Sir Keir discovered the Foreign Office had ignored the security advice recommending Lord Mandelson should not be appointed to the role in Washington.
“It is utterly unacceptable, not just in the individual case of Peter Mandelson and respect of the prime minister’s fury at the Foreign Office for not having taught him this information, but the very fact that their processes were in place that allow for that to happen in the first place,” he told Sky News.
“That’s why in my role in the Cabinet Office, immediately last night, I suspended the rights for these organisations to make these judgments.
“I’ve asked for an urgent review about what decisions these organisations have taken in the past to overrule the recommendations from UK security vetting, and I was due to announce a broader, independent review of the vetting process anyway. And this will now be part of that.”
Top Foreign Office official sacked after Mandelson vetting dispute
08:06 , Harriette Boucher
Foreign Office chief Olly Robbins to leave role after Mandelson vetting row
Starmer was 'right' to say due process had been followed 'because it had'
08:04 , Harriette BoucherKeir Starmer was “right” to tell parliament that due process had been followed throughout Lord Peter Mandelson's appointment as ambassador, "because it had", Darren Jones said.
The chief secretary told BBC: “The prime minister was right when he told the House that due process had been followed, because it had, but the fact that that process did not require officials to tell the Foreign Secretary or the prime minster that they ignored the advice of security and vetting officials is totally unacceptable.”
Mandelson had access to top secret documents despite failing vetting process
07:58 , Harriette BoucherPeter Mandelson would have been able to see top secret documents during his time as UK ambassador to the US, the chief secretary to the prime minister has admitted.
Darren Jones told Sky News: “The Foreign Office granted developing vetting status to appoint him as ambassador. That meant that he would be allowed, as a point of principle, to see the documents you would need to see as ambassador.”
He said he could not confirm in an “itemised way” which “individual documents did he see or not see”.
Starmer will not resign over latest Mandelson furore, minister insists
07:56 , Harriette BoucherThe Independent’s political journalist Athena Stavrou reports:
Sir Keir Starmer has not considered resigning and will not step down from his position, a government minister has insisted.
Chief secretary to the prime minister Darren Jones said that his Labour colleagues are not reconsidering Sir Keir as their leader - despite yet more facts coming to light about Lord Peter Mandelson’s ill-considered appointment as US ambassador.
Asked whether the prime minister will resign or if he had considered his resignation, Mr Jones told the BBC: “No.”
“The Foreign Office was allowed to overrule the recommendation from UK security vetting to not appoint Peter Mandelson to the role of ambassador to the United States,” he added.
“When the Foreign Office overruled that recommendation, it granted what's called developed vetting status, which allowed for Peter Manderson to be appointed.”
'Beyond unacceptable' to overrule Mandelson vetting process
07:51 , Harriette BoucherIt is “beyond unacceptable” that the Foreign Office was able to overrule a security vetting process to clear Lord Peter Mandelson to become UK ambassador to the US and rules have been changed to prevent it happening, Darren Jones said.
The Chief Secretary to the prime minister said Keir Starmer was "furious" at the situation but denied the premier had misled parliament over the Mandelson scandal.
The Foreign Office's top civil servant Sir Olly Robbins was effectively sacked after the revelation that officials took the rare step of overruling the recommendation from UK Security Vetting.
Mr Jones told LBC Radio: “Given the nature of the problem here, not just in terms of the appointment, but the position that it has put the Prime Minister and Cabinet ministers in as a consequence of the decision to overrule the recommendation of UK Security Vetting, and the fact that the system even allowed for that to happen in the first place, it's of a scale of a problem that we've not experienced in government before.
“It is beyond unacceptable.”
Mr Jones said he had suspended the ability of the Foreign Office and a "small number" of other organisations to overrule recommendations by UK Security Vetting.
Starmer 'furious with the state' over revelations
07:47 , Harriette BoucherThe prime minister is “furious with the state” because the Foreign Office was able to overrule the vetting process fo Peter Mandelson, his chief secretary said.
Speaking to Sky News, Darren Jones said Keir Starmer had ordered an urgent review after discovering that the Foreign Office and other Government departments ignored security advice when appointing people to sensitive roles.
“It is utterly unacceptable, not just in the individual case of Peter Mandelson and respect of the Prime Minister's fury at the Foreign Office for not having taught him this information, but the very fact that their processes were in place that allow for that to happen in the first place.
"That's why in my role in the Cabinet Office, immediately last night, I suspended the rights for these organisations to make these judgments.
“I've asked for an urgent review about what decisions these organisations have taken in the past to overrule the recommendations from UK security vetting, and I was due to announce a broader, independent review of the vetting process anyway. And this will now be part of that.”
PM facing calls to resign
07:44 , Harriette BoucherThe prime minister is facing calls from opposition parties to resign after it was revealed that the Foreign Office overruled security vetting for Lord Peter Mandelson's appointment as UK ambassador to the US.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch on Thursday said: “It is preposterous for Starmer to claim he did not know Mandelson failed security vetting.
“If the Prime Minister doesn’t know what’s happening in his own office, he shouldn’t be in charge of our country. He should go.”
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: “If this is true, the PM should’ve told Parliament at the earliest opportunity, not waited for the media to force the truth out.
“His failure to do that alone is surely a breach of the Ministerial Code.”
The Green Party and Reform UK have also now called for Sir Keir to resign.
