Peter Mandelson’s failed security vetting: a timeline of the controversy
Keir Starmer is facing calls to resign after the Guardian revealed that Peter Mandelson failed the developed vetting process over his appointment as US ambassador – but was able to take up the post after the Foreign Office overruled the recommendation.Here is the timeline of Mandelson’s controversial appointment and the fallout it has caused.Labour wins a landslide election victory engineered by Mandelson’s protege Morgan McSweeney, of whom Mandelson once said: “I don’t know who and how and when he was invented.But whoever it was, they will find their place in heaven.” Mandelson said the election win was “an extraordinary achievement for Keir Starmer and his team”.
Mandelson courts ministers in the new government providing informal advice to cabinet members and officials in No 10.He exchanges dozens of friendly WhatsApp messages with the health secretary, Wes Streeting, often signing them off with an X.Despite his known links to the disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and having been forced to resign twice as a minister in previous governments, Mandelson is appointed as US ambassador.Starmer reportedly initially favoured George Osborne, the former Tory chancellor, for the post but was persuaded by McSweeney to appoint Mandelson.Weeks after being selected for the role and undergoing a highly detailed interview process, Mandelson is denied clearance by UK Security Vetting (UKSV).
An outright denial of clearance is known to be rare,Mandelson is told by the Foreign Office that his security clearance has been “confirmed”,An unknown official, suspected of being the now sacked permanent secretary Olly Robbins, took the decision to overrule UKSV,The closeness of Mandelson’s relationship to Epstein is laid bare in the first tranche of files released by politicians in the US,In one email, Mandelson describes Epstein as “my best pal”.
In another, from 2008, Mandelson tells Epstein to “fight for early release” when the disgraced financier was facing charges of procuring a child for prostitution.Mandelson said he regretted ever meeting Epstein.Starmer initially resists calls to sack him.Starmer is challenged in the Commons by the Tory leader, Kemi Badenoch, over whether he still has confidence in Mandelson after the revelations in the Epstein files.Starmer defends Mandelson’s position.
“The ambassador has repeatedly expressed his deep regret for his association with Epstein and he is right to do so,” he says.“I have confidence in him and he is playing an important role in the UK-US relationship.”The Independent’s David Maddox asks Downing Street to comment on claims by two of his sources that Mandelson was not cleared by vetting.A spokesperson replied: “Vetting done by FCDO [Foreign Office] in normal way.”A day after defending his appointment in the Commons, Starmer fires Mandelson.
Explaining the move, the Foreign Office says the newly released messages showed the “depth and extent of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is materially different from that known at the time of his appointment”.A joint letter to the foreign affairs select committee from Robbins and the foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, says: “Peter Mandelson’s security vetting was conducted to the usual standard set for developed vetting in line with established Cabinet Office policy.”Robbins tells the foreign affairs select committee that the “vast majority” of vetting reports are “relatively straightforward”.He adds: “Ones that require more senior judgment, and potentially a discussion about managing and mitigating risks, are escalated appropriately.”Asked if the Foreign Office had a different view of who should be appointed to the role, Robbins says: “It was clear that the prime minister wanted to make this appointment himself.
”The US Department of Justice releases 3.5m Epstein files, including emails suggesting Mandelson passed market-sensitive information to Epstein while serving in Gordon Brown’s government.Emails show he also urged a US banker to “mildly threaten” the then chancellor over plans to cap bankers’ bonuses.Asked about the appointment of Mandelson, Starmer says: “Security vetting, carried out independently by the security services, which is an intensive exercise that gave him clearance for the role.You have to go through that before you take up the post.
”He adds: “Clearly both the due diligence and the security vetting need to be looked at again.” Separately, Starmer tells the Commons: “Full due process was followed during this appointment, as it is with all ambassadors.”McSweeney resigns as Starmer’s chief of staff, saying he takes full responsibility for advising Starmer to appoint Mandelson.In his resignation statement, he says: “While I did not oversee the due diligence and vetting process, I believe that process must now be fundamentally overhauled.”Documents released about Mandelson’s appointment after a humble address motion by the Conservatives reveal he was offered a severance payment of £75,000 and initially asked for more than £500,000.
They also reveal that Starmer’s national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, had doubts about Mandelson’s appointment, describing it as “weirdly rushed”.The documents do not disclose that Mandelson failed security vetting.In response to the Guardian’s revelation that Mandelson failed vetting and the decision was overruled by the Foreign Office, No 10 pleads ignorance.It says “neither the prime minister nor any government minister” was aware that Mandelson was granted developed vetting against the advice of UKSV.Robbins is forced out of his job.
Starmer says it is “staggering” and “unforgivable” that he was not told that Mandelson had failed vetting.The retired high court judge Adrian Fulford is expected to review Mandelson’s vetting process and the wider national security vetting system.
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