'Staggering' I was not told Mandelson failed vetting, says PM
Summary
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said it is surprising he was not told that Lord Peter Mandelson failed security checks before being appointed UK ambassador to the US. The vetting officers recommended against Mandelson’s appointment, but the Foreign Office ignored this. Opposition parties are calling on Sir Keir to resign over the issue.Key Facts
- Lord Peter Mandelson was appointed UK ambassador to the US despite failing initial security vetting.
- The UK Security Vetting service recommended against approving Mandelson’s vetting, which is an unusual "no" recommendation.
- The Foreign Office overruled the vetting service’s recommendation and proceeded with Mandelson’s appointment.
- No ministers, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, were informed about Mandelson’s failed vetting at the time.
- Sir Keir Starmer discovered the vetting failure only recently and called the lack of information "staggering" and "unforgivable."
- Sir Keir plans to explain all facts to Parliament to be fully transparent.
- Opposition leaders, including Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, have demanded Sir Keir's resignation.
- Senior minister Darren Jones said there was no rule requiring ministers to be told about security vetting decisions, but that policy is now changed.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
