US Edition
Fired former UK official says he felt political pressure to approve Mandelson as US ambassador
Robbins said the vetting agency viewed Mandelson as a borderline case and that Foreign Office officials believed the risks could be managed.
- On Tuesday, former Foreign Office Permanent Under-Secretary Sir Olly Robbins testified that Downing Street exerted constant pressure to rush Peter Mandelson's security vetting in January 2025, telling the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee of an "atmosphere of pressure."
- Vetting officials from the United Kingdom Security Vetting agency deemed Mandelson a "borderline case" and leaned against granting clearance; the Foreign Office nonetheless overruled this recommendation in February 2025, authorizing his appointment.
- Robbins described a "dismissive attitude" from Downing Street toward the clearance process, claiming officials showed "never any interest" in whether Mandelson met security standards, focusing solely on the speed of his Washington arrival.
- Prime Minister Keir Starmer claimed on Monday he was "frankly staggered" to learn of the vetting failure, asserting officials deliberately withheld information; opposition leaders demanded answers about what he knew and when.
- Parliament holds an emergency debate on Tuesday as the government faces scrutiny, with the Intelligence and Security Committee urging expedited disclosure of vetting documents while Starmer initiated a formal review of the process.
141 Articles
141 Articles
Starmer teetering on the edge
Downing Street on Tuesday denied a claim from a former official that it had applied pressure on civil servants to approve the appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK envoy to Washington and seemed to dismiss security concerns. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer remained mired in a scandal over his decision to appoint Mandelson as Britain's envoy to the United States before sacking him last year over links to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epst…
What Olly Robbins evidence means for Starmer’s future
Peter Mandelson's appointment as ambassador by Sir Keir Starmer to the US was a rush-job, carried out under an 'atmosphere of pressure' from 10 Downing Street and a 'dismissive attitude' to security vetting.
KTEN
Downing Street denies exerting pressure to OK Mandelson appointment
Downing Street on Tuesday denied a claim from a former official that it had applied pressure on civil servants to approve the appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK envoy to Washington and seemed to dismiss security concerns.
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