Foreign Secretary Cooper Dismayed Over Delayed Mandelson Vetting Information to Ministers

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has expressed profound concern that ministers were not promptly informed of issues arising during the vetting process for Lord Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador. This revelation has significantly intensified scrutiny on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who now faces demands for his resignation from opposition parties and is scheduled to address Parliament on the matter on Monday.

Sir Olly Robbins, the Foreign Office's most senior civil servant, who was dismissed last week over the controversy, is slated to appear before the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday. Ahead of this, Ms Cooper wrote to Dame Emily Thornberry, the committee's chair, stating she had requested a review of information provided to the committee to ensure its complete accuracy.

Ms Cooper stated: "I am extremely concerned about information that has now come to light and the fact that it was not previously provided to ministers - which has in turn affected information given to Parliament."

Sir Keir previously described as "staggering" his late notification that Lord Mandelson had not passed security vetting. His prior assurances to the Commons that due process had been followed have led to accusations of misleading Parliament. Downing Street released an official account on Friday evening of the 15 April meeting where Sir Keir asserts he was first informed.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy told The Guardian that Sir Keir would have blocked Lord Mandelson's appointment if he had known about the vetting failure. Mr Lammy, who was Foreign Secretary at the time, indicated neither he nor his advisers were informed, though he acknowledged "time pressures" existed to confirm the appointment prior to Donald Trump's potential return to the US presidency. He expressed surprise at Sir Olly's departure, calling him an "outstanding" civil servant.

Lord Mandelson formally assumed the ambassadorial position in February 2025 but was removed last September following further revelations regarding his connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. It has emerged that Cabinet Secretary Antonia Romeo became aware of Mandelson's vetting failure in late March, necessitating an investigation into circumstances and legal implications before informing the Prime Minister.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, writing in the Mail on Sunday, accused Sir Keir of allowing others to take the blame while clinging to power, branding him "unfit to run the country." Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has called for a Privileges Committee investigation into whether Sir Keir intentionally misled Parliament. The SNP, Green Party, and Reform UK have also demanded Sir Keir's resignation.