Starmer faces Mandelson vetting scandal

Keir Starmer's leadership is facing its most significant domestic crisis as the Peter Mandelson vetting scandal dominates Prime Minister's Questions.

Testimony from Sir Olly Robbins, the recently sacked head of the Foreign Office, suggests that Downing Street officials pressured civil servants to approve Mandelson's high-level security clearance despite significant red flags.

The row has sparked a 'civil war' between the government and the civil service, with unions warning of a chilling effect on administrative independence.

Opposition leaders and some Labour backbenchers are now questioning Starmer's judgment and the transparency of his administration's appointment processes.