Starmer's Commons Showdown Over Mandelson Vetting Failures

Prime Minister Keir Starmer will set out the facts to MPs on Monday after he said he was first told last Tuesday that Foreign Office civil servants had withheld red flags about Peter Mandelson's vetting.

Peter Mandelson was appointed as UK ambassador to Washington in December 2024 despite UK Security and Vetting officials raising concerns in January last year and his publicly known friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.

Senior ministers including Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall defended Starmer, while opposition leaders have called for his resignation and Sir Olly Robbins, the Foreign Office's top civil servant, was sacked.

Mandelson was sacked in September 2025 and was arrested Feb. 23 on suspicion of misconduct in public office, and the remaining vetting documents were initially withheld at the Metropolitan Police's request.

Olly Robbins is expected to give evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday, the Intelligence and Security Committee will inspect the papers, and further documents are due to be released in the coming weeks.