Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said it was “staggering” that neither he nor any minister had been informed that Lord Peter Mandelson failed initial national security vetting when he was appointed UK ambassador to the United States. The revelation has intensified calls for Sir Keir to resign after vetting officers recommended against approving Lord Mandelson, a recommendation the Foreign Office subsequently overturned.
Sir Olly Robbins, who had just taken charge of the Foreign Office two weeks earlier, was effectively dismissed by the prime minister on Thursday night. Opposition parties have demanded Sir Keir step down. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described the government’s account as “completely preposterous,” said the prime minister could not continue, and warned she was considering parliamentary routes to remove him. She urged Labour MPs to “do the right thing.”
BBC News understands Sir Olly is expected to be invited to give evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday to explain the vetting decision. He has not formally accepted but was reportedly preparing to appear. Friends have suggested he may not have seen the full recommendation against approval and might only have been shown specific risks flagged during the vetting process.
Lord Mandelson was announced as ambassador in December 2024 before detailed vetting had finished. He took up the post in February 2025 and was sacked seven months later amid controversy over his links to the late, convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The government says no minister was told about the vetting service’s recommendation at the time and that the prime minister only learned of it this week. Speaking to journalists in Paris, Sir Keir said he was “absolutely furious” that he had not been informed and called the omission “completely unacceptable.” He pledged to set out all relevant facts in Parliament on Monday for full transparency.
Senior minister Darren Jones defended the prime minister, saying Sir Keir had not misled MPs when he said due process had been followed and therefore would not resign. Jones told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that, at the time of Mandelson’s appointment, ministers were not routinely notified of security vetting decisions; he added that the rule has now been changed.
BBC News understands the United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) service gave the Foreign Office an explicit recommendation against approving Lord Mandelson’s clearance. UKSV, working for the Cabinet Office, provided a list of potential risks and a summarised recommendation described by sources as a “no.” The Foreign Office is believed to be the only Whitehall department with the authority to overrule such a recommendation.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said the prime minister’s explanation did not “stack up” and joined calls for Sir Keir to resign. He has asked the Privileges Committee to investigate whether the prime minister deliberately misled Parliament. Lib Dem Cabinet Office spokesperson Lisa Smart has written to the PM’s ethics adviser urging an inquiry.
Foreign Affairs Committee chair Dame Emily Thornberry has invited Sir Olly to give evidence next Tuesday, marking the second time he would be questioned about the affair. Dame Emily said she wants to establish whether the decision to approve Mandelson was made by Sir Olly or under pressure from elsewhere—and if so, from whom.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, campaigning in Edinburgh, reiterated his call for Sir Keir to resign, calling the Mandelson affair a “tipping point” and describing Lord Mandelson as betraying his party and country. The SNP, the Green Party and Reform UK have also demanded the prime minister step down.