Starmer ‘not aware’ Foreign Office overruled Mandelson vetting ‘until this week’

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (Leon Neal/PA) - (PA Wire)

Sir Keir Starmer was not aware that the Foreign Office overruled a security vetting process for Lord Peter Mandelson to become UK ambassador to Washington “until earlier this week”, the Government has said.

The Foreign Office meanwhile has said it is “working urgently” to comply with a request from the Prime Minister to establish the facts of how developed vetting was granted.