Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of a “cover-up” after he doubled down on his denial that he knew Peter Mandelson had failed crucial security vetting – despite The Independent reporting concerns to No 10 seven months ago.
The “furious” prime minister insisted he only found out about the vetting failure this week and said it was “staggering” and unacceptable that he was not told sooner.
But Kemi Badenoch said that was “preposterous” when The Independent had approached Downing Street about the issue last September, when the disgraced peer was sacked from his US ambassador job.
The Tory leader said the revelation meant it was clear the prime minister had misled parliament when he claimed – three times – that due process had been followed during his appointment, and once again called for him to quit.
She told a press conference in Westminster: “The prime minister is now asking us to believe that no one in government thought to tell him or his team that Mandelson had failed vetting, that the first he heard about it was on Tuesday night. This is preposterous.”
She added: “We know that No 10 was told that Mandelson had failed his vetting because journalists told them in September last year.
“This leaves us with two possibilities: either the prime minister is lying or he is so incompetent that he is unfit to run the country. Either way, his position is untenable.”
The Independent originally revealed the story last year – and discussed it with Sir Keir’s then-director of communications, Tim Allan, who responded: “Vetting done by FCDO [Foreign and Commonwealth Office] in normal way.”
Months later, in February, Sir Keir told the House of Commons that there were no issues with the vetting process, and on Friday, he claimed he had not been told of the failure of Lord Mandelson to pass it until this week.
Referencing The Independent’s story in September, Ms Badenoch said: “I did see David Maddox’s image of the message which he sent to Tim Allan… one of the most senior officials in No 10.
“That is very significant. Back in September, these questions were asked. I find it very hard to believe that the director of communications did not tell anyone or even ask anybody before answering. He did not deny the claims.
“That is one of the reasons why I think that they knew more than they are pretending to know. Now, I think it is very significant that we are seeing that questions were asked and answers were denied. This is a cover-up, one way or another.”
The binding parliamentary vote, which is forcing the government to release documents about Lord Mandelson’s appointment, should also cover what happened “after The Independent asked those questions”, she said.
She also called for all the papers to be made public by the end of next week – including the reasons the former Labour grandee failed the vetting, and added: “I am very concerned now that a lot of documents are not being released because they will show the extent of this cover-up and just how incompetent the operation in No 10 going right up to the prime minister has been.”
A memo released by Downing Street on Friday night appeared to back the prime minister’s assertion that FCDO officials were responsible for clearing Lord Mandelson’s appointment without his knowledge, and that he was informed of this on Tuesday evening.
Its publication by the government came as The Guardian reported two of those present at Tuesday’s meeting, cabinet secretary Antonia Romeo, and cabinet office permanent secretary Catherine Little, had known since March about sensitive information linked to Lord Mandelson’s vetting.
The email said: “As part of the humble address process, that file had been shared with Cat [Catherine Little]. On reviewing the file she had therefore learned that the recommendation from the vetting officer had been that DV [Developed Vetting] should not be granted to Peter Mandelson.”
One Labour MP told The Independent it “looks like he [Starmer] might be toast”, while Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he believes the PM will be “gone by the summer”. He said: “Nothing the prime minister has said adds up”, adding: “He has lied to the country and needs to go.”
The Lib Dems also reported Sir Keir to his own ethics adviser for not notifying parliament of Lord Mandelson’s failed security vetting as soon as he became aware of it.
Insisting that he did not know before this week, Sir Keir told reporters on Friday: “That I wasn’t told that Peter Mandelson had failed security vetting when he was appointed is staggering.
“That I wasn’t told that he had failed security vetting when I was telling parliament that due process had been followed is unforgivable. Not only was I not told, no minister was told, and I’m absolutely furious about that.
-copy.jpeg)
“What I intend to do is to go to parliament on Monday to set out all the relevant facts in true transparency, so parliament has the full picture.”
Challenged about this publication’s reporting and that it had been made aware of the vetting issue, Downing Street said on Friday that it did not “accept that a media inquiry is equivalent”.
Asked if they would have checked after the inquiry from The Independent, Downing Street said: “No 10 has repeatedly, throughout this process, asked about the facts surrounding this case, Peter Mandelson, his security vetting and at no point in the process was No 10, the prime minister told that UK security vetting had recommended against him.”
Lisa Smart, the Lib Dem cabinet office spokesperson, said: “There is clearly something deeply wrong at No 10 when reports from journalists of Mandelson failing his vetting didn’t even get through the door. Starmer looks frankly like a lame duck, totally out of control of his own government.”
Ms Badenoch also called for Sir Olly Robbins – the top Foreign Office official who was sacked for taking the unusual step of overriding security officials who denied Lord Mandelson’s security clearance – to give evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee.
She said: “I do think that Olly Robbins should come to parliament and explain exactly what’s going on. Parliament deserves the truth. The public deserve the truth.”
Sir Olly is expected to give evidence to the Commons select committee next week.
