Starmer Blames Foreign Office Over Mandelson US Ambassador Vetting Failure

Sir Keir Starmer has again addressed the House of Commons, defending his decisions concerning Lord Mandelson's appointment as the UK's ambassador to the United States. This follows revelations that Mandelson received security clearance in January 2025 for the post, despite vetting officials recommending against it. He assumed the role the following month but was dismissed seven months later due to his connections with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The Prime Minister expressed strong disapproval of the Foreign Office, the department that sanctioned Mandelson's clearance despite security concerns. He stated that departmental officials should have informed him at the time and subsequently missed "repeated occasions" to do so, including during the investigation into Mandelson's sacking last year by the then-top civil servant.

Sir Keir described the repeated failure to disclose Mandelson's vetting results as "incredible," "staggering," and "astonishing." He further alleged a "deliberate decision" to conceal this information from Members of Parliament who had previously inquired into Mandelson's dismissal.

While acknowledging that sensitive information from the vetting process, including two interviews with Mandelson, should remain confidential, Sir Keir argued there was no justification for withholding the overall vetting recommendation from him. He highlighted this as a point of contention with Sir Olly Robbins, the former top civil servant at the Foreign Office, who was effectively removed from his position last week. Sir Olly is scheduled to testify before a Commons committee on Tuesday.

Opposition parties accuse Sir Keir of misleading MPs last year when he claimed "full due process" was followed in Mandelson's appointment. The government rulebook prohibits ministers from knowingly misleading Parliament. When asked if he might have inadvertently misled the Commons, Sir Keir replied, "no," maintaining that he "did not mislead the House."

The Prime Minister has commissioned a review by the Government Security Group within the Cabinet Office into "any security concerns raised" during Mandelson's tenure as ambassador, confirming the peer had access to top-secret material. This review is distinct from a broader inquiry into the national security vetting system led by retired judge Sir Adrian Fulford.