Whether a prime minister misled parliament is a serious matter. The pattern of statements made by Sir Keir Starmer about appointing Lord Mandelson as US ambassador may justify a parliamentary sleaze inquiry. Opposition parties claim that the prime minister misled MPs over the process that led to the peer taking the Washington job. But they…
MPs reject Conservative proposal over Mandelson MPs voted 335-223 against the motion, meaning the government won by a majority of 112. Share Key events 5m ago A summary of today’s developments 35m ago MPs reject Conservative proposal over Mandelson 1h ago Iranian ambassador summoned over ‘unacceptable’ social media post 2h ago Peers drop opposition to…
Morgan McSweeney has given evidence to MPs about Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s former top aide described finding out about the closeness of Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein as “a knife through my soul’ and said that the decision to appoint him was “wrong”. Here are some key moments from…
It is unlikely that events this week at the foreign affairs select committee will deliver a knockout blow to Sir Keir Starmer over his appointment of Peter Mandelson as Britain’s US ambassador. Westminster will instead see a stress test, forcing competing versions of events into the open – a risk for Downing Street if the story crystallises unfavourably….
A good leader never asks their people to do something they wouldn’t do themselves. Hold others to the highest standards, by all means, but only if you have equally high expectations of yourself: otherwise you may command obedience in politics but never respect, and over time even that grudging compliance may come laced with contempt….
He is likely to set out to the Foreign Affairs Committee the context in which his initial decision was taken – that Lord Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador had already been publicly announced and his interpretation of the law, the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act, 2010, was that he was not authorised to share the conclusions…
Sir Keir Starmer addressed MPs in the Commons about Peter Mandelson’s vetting for his job as US ambassador. The prime minister said officials made a “deliberate decision” not to tell him that Mandelson had failed security vetting for the job. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch accused the PM of throwing “his staff and officials under…
Shorouk Express Wormald, who is the head of the civil service, confirmed that there was “no panel interview” when Mandelson was being considered for the role because the post was filled through a direct ministerial appointment by Prime Minister Keir Starmer. A panel interview would normally be used to ask a candidate if there was…
Shorouk Express Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Sir Keir Starmer insisted he never would have appointed Peter Mandelson as US ambassador if he had known the full extent of his ties…
Shorouk Express Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email A senior cabinet minister has admitted that “political considerations” about Lord Mandelson’s “outstanding singular talents” meant security concerns about the Labour peer being made…
