BBC Politics
'Staggering' I was not told Mandelson failed vetting, says PM
Lord Mandelson failed standard security vetting before being appointed Britain's ambassador to Washington, a revelation that has triggered fresh calls for the Prime Minister to resign. The PM claims to have been kept in the dark about the failed checks, a defense critics are calling implausible given the seniority of the role. The affair raises serious questions about due diligence at the heart of government and who, if anyone, was minding the store.
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Starmer says it is ‘staggering’ and ‘unforgivable’ he was not told Mandelson failed vetting – UK politics live
Peter Mandelson's appointment as UK ambassador to Washington has been engulfed in controversy after it emerged the Foreign Office overrode a failed security vetting process without informing Downing Street. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the omission "staggering" and "unforgivable," while senior civil servant Olly Robbins has been forced out over the affair. The scandal raises serious questions about institutional transparency and the chain of command surrounding one of Britain's most sensitive diplomatic postings.
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Rachel Reeves warns other budgets may be cut to lift defence spending
Rachel Reeves has signalled that boosting defence spending will come at a cost to other public budgets, with welfare among the areas potentially on the chopping block. The chancellor, facing pressure to accelerate military investment amid the Russia-Ukraine war and tensions with Iran, ruled out tax rises or additional borrowing as funding mechanisms. The admission points to a bruising spending review ahead, with departments bracing for cuts to bankroll a stronger armed forces.
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Top Foreign Office official to leave post after Mandelson vetting row
A senior Foreign Office official is departing following controversy over Peter Mandelson's security vetting process. The peer was permitted to assume his post despite failing the standard vetting procedure — a decision that has now claimed a high-level casualty. The episode raises serious questions about how security protocols are applied, and whether political considerations are overriding established safeguards.
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Foreign Office’s top civil servant Olly Robbins forced out over Mandelson vetting row
Sir Olly Robbins has been forced out as the Foreign Office's top civil servant after Keir Starmer lost confidence in him over his department's decision to override Peter Mandelson's failed security vetting. The move allowed Mandelson to proceed despite the initial vetting failure, raising serious questions about how national security protocols are being applied at the highest levels of government. The fallout marks a significant moment of accountability — or damage control — for an administration already under scrutiny over the Mandelson appointment.
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