Guardian UK Politics
No one can look Starmer in the eye … and the Mandy saga is not going away | John Crace
Keir Starmer is facing a crisis of authority, with backbenchers sensing the ground shifting beneath his premiership as Morgan McSweeney's alleged role in orchestrating jobs for allies draws mounting scrutiny. The Peter Mandelson saga continues to dog Downing Street, compounding a broader perception that Starmer has lost grip on his own operation. When a leader's own MPs can no longer meet his gaze, the countdown rarely ends well.
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Britain’s military dependence on US ‘no longer tenable’, says former Nato chief
Britain's reliance on US military support is unsustainable and must be urgently reduced, according to Lord Robertson, the former NATO Secretary General. Robertson warns that the diplomatic tone from the White House has reached an "historic low," with the two allies on a trajectory of increasing divergence. The warning adds senior strategic weight to growing calls for Europe to take greater responsibility for its own defence.
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Olly Robbins’ account of Mandelson vetting piles pressure on Starmer
Olly Robbins, the sacked Foreign Office official, told a select committee that Downing Street applied intense pressure on the civil service to approve Peter Mandelson's appointment as Washington ambassador despite serious vetting concerns. Robbins described No 10 as "dismissive" of the vetting process, raising significant questions about the government's attitude toward security protocols. The testimony deals a fresh blow to Keir Starmer, painting a picture of a administration willing to override established safeguards to push through a politically sensitive appointment.
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The Guardian view on Starmer and Mandelson: when process follows power | Editorial
Peter Mandelson's security clearance for the US ambassador role was approved over the explicit reservations of UK Security Vetting, with the decision appearing to flow from Downing Street's political will rather than established protocol. Sir Olly Robbins, the sacked Foreign Office chief, confirmed the sequence in measured but damning testimony before MPs. The episode raises serious questions about whether security vetting under Starmer's government serves as a genuine safeguard or a rubber stamp for decisions already made at the top.
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Starmer and Badenoch clash over Olly Robbins’ Mandelson evidence – UK politics live
Inflation surged to 3.3% in March, driven by a sharp spike in fuel prices linked to the Iran conflict — the steepest jump in over three years. The figure handed opposition parties fresh ammunition, with the Liberal Democrats branding it "Trumpflation" and pressing the government on the cost of living squeeze. The rise came as Starmer faced separate parliamentary pressure over diplomatic appointments and the Mandelson evidence row.
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