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‘Self-serving stuff’: anger remains high in Whitehall over Olly Robbins sacking

UK security vetting. There is strong support for Robbins within Whitehall, with senior civil servants said to believe he was in effect sacked for doing what No 10 wanted by swiftly passing Mandelson through vetting

No 10 had 'dismissive attitude' to Mandelson vetting, says sacked Foreign Office chief

Starmer. But in front of MPs, Sir Olly defended his actions, insisting he had followed the proper process while under "constant pressure" from No 10 to get Lord Mandelson in post. No 10 denied claims

Three key statements Starmer made to MPs about Mandelson vetting

Starmer should be investigated in Parliament for allegedly misleading the House of Commons. It relates to several comments he made about the process of appointing Lord Mandelson as the UK's ambassador

Will King's US visit make a political difference?

issues". To that end, the King may have achieved his task. With a charm and humour that many British politicians would envy, he used his two speeches to praise the US, its people

Foreign secretary concerned ministers not told of Mandelson vetting fears sooner

issues raised in the vetting process to appoint Lord Mandelson as US ambassador. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing calls to resign from opposition parties and is due to answer questions on the scandal

Burnham ally to unveil ambitious plan to reverse decades of privatisation

issuing “bonds for shares” and setting up state competitors, according to a new blueprint for “Manchesterism”. The policy paper – The Productive State – [is released on Monday](https://www.mainstreamlabour.org/publications/the-productive-state) as Burnham arrives in Westminster

King to defend 'democratic values' as US state visit begins

Security is extremely tight after the shooting incident in Washington DC at an event attended by the president on Saturday. King Charles will address the US Congress on Tuesday and it is expected that

Olly Robbins is just the latest: a guide to the high-profile exits under Starmer’s tenure

security vetting. Robbins was the Foreign Office’s most senior official in late January 2025 when the decision was made, paving the way for Mandelson to become the US ambassador. The Guardian understands that Robbins

The diplomacy at play behind the King's speeches

issues that matter the most to him. So how did the King navigate the delicate balance of making a point while staying cordial. The King's speech defended Nato, at a time when Trump

Tuesday briefing: What it might take for lasting peace between the US and Iran

UK politics*** | Keir Starmer has [accused Olly Robbins](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/apr/20/keir-starmer-olly-robbins-commons-statement-peter-mandelson-vetting) of deliberately and repeatedly obstructing the truth about the Peter Mandelson vetting scandal before a high-jeopardy appearance of the sacked top official before

How Trump acolytes seized on UK teen’s killing to push anti-immigration agenda

UK party that it is an illustration of multiculturalism and political correctness gone mad. “Henry Nowak died the same way a civilization dies, handcuffed by authorities who neither trusted nor cared for him, and accused

Pro-Palestine activists believe ‘sea change’ coming in Labour’s approach to Middle East

UK should do differently in Gaza, either unilaterally or in concert, however. In July 2025 Streeting wrote that Israel’s rogue state behaviour justified applying sanctions to the state, “not just a few ministers

Key takeaways from senior official on Mandelson vetting

Starmer told the House of Commons three times that "full due process" was followed during the peer's appointment. The prime minister says that at the time, he was unaware that the Foreign Office

PM won't face inquiry over claims he misled MPs on Mandelson vetting

Starmer will not face a parliamentary investigation over claims he misled MPs about the process to appoint Lord Mandelson as US ambassador. The House of Commons voted 335 to 223 against a Conservative-led motion

Katya Adler: Europe's Nato allies push back at reported US threat to Spain

Starmer insists that greater involvement in the war and the current US blockade of Iran's ports are not in the UK's interest. Donald Trump has repeatedly lashed out at him verbally

Thousands attend rally against antisemitism outside Downing Street

Starmer?” as he took to the stage. The work and pensions secretary said: “I hear your anger, I hear your pain, I stand against antisemitism, I stand with you.” There were also boos

From tourist tax to digital ID: BBC correspondents on the key bills

issue with opposition politicians, businesses and even Labour-friendly unions calling for the government to be more open to new oil and gas exploration in the North Sea. References to the Energy Independence Bill

Wes Streeting insists he can win Labour leadership race despite ‘underdog’ status

secure a big job. “That’s not what motivates and drives me at all. I do think it’s inevitable that Keir has to go. I think he’s lost the support of much

Energy bills, business rates and HS2: What are Burnham's potential policies?

Starmer for the leadership of the Labour Party - and the country. During the by-election campaign, he set out a number of policy ideas. Burnham committed to the [economic rules Chancellor Rachel Reeves

How the High Street became a window on our political instability

security think tank. "Nail bars, pubs, certain restaurants - anything that's cash-intensive has always been vulnerable to organised crime exploiting it," he says. Criminals like cash because unlike card transactions or bank transfers