Starmer tells MPs Foreign Office has been stripped of power to overrule vetting

The Foreign Office has been stripped of its powers to overrule vetting decisions after the Peter Mandelson scandal, Keir Starmer has told MPs, as he sought to set out his side of events in a politically crucial statement in parliament.

Saying to jeers that he accepted it appeared “incredible” he and other ministers were not told Mandelson was initially refused security vetting, Starmer also said he had ordered an investigation into any security concerns related to Mandelson’s tenure as ambassador to Washington.

“I know many members across the house will find these facts to be incredible,” Starmer said, after setting out how the Foreign Office opted to overrule the initial vetting decision and did not tell anyone.

He went on: “To that I can only say they are right. Throughout the whole timeline of events, officials in the Foreign Office saw fit to withhold this information from the most senior ministers in our system in government. That is not how the vast majority of people in this country expect politics, government, or accountability to work, and I do not think it’s how most public servants think it should work either.”

Setting out a detailed timeline of events that ended up with the Guardian revealing last week how Mandelson had been initially denied vetting clearance, Starmer began with an acceptance that he had made a grave mistake in the first place with his choice of ambassador.

“Before I go into the details, I want to be very clear with this house that while this statement will focus on the process surrounding Peter Mandelson’s vetting and appointment, at the heart of this there is also a judgement I made that was wrong,” he said. “I should not have appointed Peter Mandelson.”

Responding for the Conservatives, Kemi Badenoch said the concerns “go beyond propriety and ethics – this is a matter of national security”, adding that Starmer potentially broke the ministerial code by not updating MPs last week.

The Tory leader went on: “At every turn, with every explanation, the government story has become murkier and more contradictory. It is time for the truth.”

Mandelson’s vetting took place in December 2024 and January 2025, after the job had been announced, Starmer said, saying this was in line with procedures for political appointments, something that had now been changed so that vetting had to come first.

On 28 January 2025, he went on, UK Security Vetting (UKSV) “recommended to the Foreign Office that developed vetting clearance should be denied to Peter, Mandelson”, but that the Foreign Office opted to overrule this, a power not available to other departments. This power was suspended by No 10 last week after the news emerged, Starmer said.