Sir Keir Starmer is underneath additional strain over Lord Peter Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to the US after it was revealed the Foreign Office overruled safety vetting.
The prime minister is going through calls to resign and observe within the footsteps of Sir Olly Robbins, the Foreign Office’s most senior civil servant, who was confirmed to be leaving his function on Thursday over the revelations.
Sir Keir has beforehand insisted due course of was adopted within the appointment, and that Lord Mandelson had lied in regards to the extent of his hyperlinks with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Conservative chief Kemi Badenoch is main the requires Sir Keir’s resignation following the most recent discovery. She stated: “If he has misled parliament, as it looks like he has, he should resign.
“If he has broken the ministerial code, as it looks like he has, he should resign. If he withheld documents by a cover-up from parliament, he should resign.”
Darren Jones, the prime minister’s chief secretary, stated it was “astonishing” and unacceptable that the Foreign Office was in a position to overrule the vetting course of for Lord Mandelson, and Sir Keir is “furious”.
‘Beyond unacceptable’ to overrule Mandelson vetting course of
It is “beyond unacceptable” that the Foreign Office was in a position to overrule a safety vetting course of to clear Lord Peter Mandelson to turn out to be UK ambassador to the US and guidelines have been modified to forestall it occurring, Darren Jones stated.
The Chief Secretary to the prime minister stated Keir Starmer was “furious” on the scenario however denied the premier had misled parliament over the Mandelson scandal.
The Foreign Office’s high civil servant Sir Olly Robbins was successfully sacked after the revelation that officers took the uncommon step of overruling the advice from UK Security Vetting.
Mr Jones advised 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 stated he had suspended the power of the Foreign Office and a “small number” of different organisations to overrule suggestions by UK Security Vetting.
Harriette Boucher17 April 2026 07:51
Starmer ‘livid with the state’ over revelations
The prime minister is “furious with the state” as a result of the Foreign Office was in a position to overrule the vetting course of fo Peter Mandelson, his chief secretary stated.
Speaking to Sky News, Darren Jones stated Keir Starmer had ordered an pressing overview after discovering that the Foreign Office and different Government departments ignored safety recommendation when appointing individuals to delicate 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.”
Harriette Boucher17 April 2026 07:47
PM facing calls to resign
The 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 chief Kemi Badenoch on Thursday stated: “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 chief Sir Ed Davey stated: “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.
Harriette Boucher17 April 2026 07:44
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/olly-robbins-starmer-mandelson-latest-updates-b2959568.html