Mandelson Vetting Scandal Rocks Starmer

The scandal centers on the decision to grant Mandelson 'developed vetting' status against the explicit advice of UK security officials in early 2025.

While Number 10 maintains that the Prime Minister was unaware of the failed clearance until this week, opposition leaders have accused the government of duplicity and misleading Parliament.

The controversy has already led to the dismissal of Sir Olly Robbins, the Foreign Office's most senior civil servant, as the government attempts to contain the fallout.

Mandelson was previously removed from the diplomatic post after his relationship with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein became a matter of public record.