Sir Keir Starmer is once again at the centre of a political storm over his ill-considered appointment of Peter Mandelson as the US ambassador.
The latest chapter of the scandal has revealed that the former Labour peer was granted developed vetting status by the Foreign Office – despite UK Security Vetting (UKSV) advising against the appointment.
Downing Street has denied that anyone in No 10 – including the prime minister – was aware that Mandelson had failed UKSV vetting until recently.
But questions have been raised about the extent of knowledge within Downing Street, after it was revealed that The Independent had made No 10 aware of claims Mandelson had failed vetting last September.
Here is how the scandal has unfolded since The Independent’s story was published:
September 2025
In September last year, the release of new documents in the so-called Epstein files in the US shed further light on Mandelson’s links to the late financier.
Sir Keir said at the time he and No 10 had been lied to by the former Labour peer, and sacked Mandelson from his role as Britain’s ambassador to the US.
Sources stated that the issue was widely known, and it was already being discussed behind the scenes.
At this time, The Independent’s political editor, David Maddox, was told by sources both in the UK and Washington DC that Mandelson did not, in fact, clear vetting with MI5, but the appointment was given anyway.
He put the claims to No 10’s then-director of communications, Tim Allan, who simply replied that vetting had been done by the Foreign Office in the “normal way”.
The Independent ran the story as a front-page lead, and it was also raised in parliament by MPs.
February 2026
More files were released by US lawmakers, which included emails between Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein that appeared to show him passing market-sensitive information while he was business secretary.
The news sparked a criminal investigation into Mandelson, and once again saw Sir Keir fighting to save his premiership as questions grew over his judgement.
The prime minister told the Commons at the time that Mandelson had been cleared by security vetting.
“Full due process was followed during this appointment, as it is with all ambassadors,” he told MPs, in a statement which has now led to him being accused of potentially misleading the House.
April 2026
Last week, news broke that Mandelson had, in fact, failed UK Security Service vetting and that this decision was overruled by officials in the Foreign Office.
Sir Keir said he was “furious” and that it was “unforgivable” that he had not been told about the matter, sacking the Foreign Office’s top civil servant, Sir Olly Robbins.
Downing Street claimed that “neither the prime minister nor any government minister” was aware that he had been given developed vetting status despite contrary advice from UKSV.
At this point, David Maddox published the WhatsApp exchange he had with Mr Allan last September, proving No 10 had, in fact, been made aware of the claims.
When challenged about The Independent’s reporting on Friday, Downing Street said it did not “accept that a media inquiry is equivalent”, and said: “No 10, as I say, repeatedly asked about the facts of this case from the Foreign Office, and were never told the UK security vetting had recommended.”
In the Commons on Monday, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch was the first of many MPs to ask why the prime minister did not act when The Independent ran its front page story, and why it was apparently ignored.
Sir Keir avoided the question, responding: “In relation to reports in the media, Number 10 was repeatedly asked about the outcome of the security clearance and was assured that the entire process was followed.”
