All posts tagged: Mandelson

Politics Home | Keir Starmer Sacks Foreign Office Permanent Secretary Over Mandelson Vetting Row

Politics Home | Keir Starmer Sacks Foreign Office Permanent Secretary Over Mandelson Vetting Row

Published by Sam Flores

2 min read49 min The most senior civil servant in the Foreign Office is leaving his role over the Lord Mandelson vetting row. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper have lost confidence in Olly Robbins, who will be standing down as the department’s permanent secretary as a result, PoliticsHome understands. His departure comes after The Guardian reported on Thursday that Mandelson was appointed the UK ambassador to the US in 2024 despite failing his security vetting. No 10 later released a statement saying that the Foreign Office was responsible for the vetting process and went ahead with appointing Mandelson to the job in Washington despite the failure, without telling the Prime Minister or any other minister. Downing Street added that Starmer had been first made aware earlier this week. The Prime Minister is expected to make a statement to the House of Commons on Monday to correct previous statements he has made about the process by which Mandelson was appointed. He is expected to tell MPs that he did not unknowingly mislead Parliament when …

UK’s Starmer under fire over report Mandelson failed security vetting | Politics News

UK’s Starmer under fire over report Mandelson failed security vetting | Politics News

Published by Sam Flores

Gov’s spokesperson says Starmer had no knowledge of the Foreign Office overriding the security recommendation. Published On 16 Apr 202616 Apr 2026 United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under renewed pressure over UK media reports that former ambassador to Washington Peter Mandelson failed security vetting but was cleared to take on the role by foreign ministry officials. A government spokesperson denied on Thursday that Starmer had any knowledge of the Foreign Office overriding the security recommendation regarding Mandelson, who was sacked in September after less than a year in the role over his links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list After UK newspaper The Guardian reported on Thursday that Mandelson had failed vetting, the government spokesperson said that neither Starmer nor any other government ministers had been aware of the decision, adding that the Foreign Office had granted him “developed vetting”. Citing multiple unnamed sources, the newspaper said the 72-year-old had initially been denied clearance in late January 2025 after a “highly confidential background check …

Peter Mandelson faces £300 fine after urinating on a wall | UK | News

Peter Mandelson faces £300 fine after urinating on a wall | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

Disgraced peer Lord Mandelson is facing a fine of up to £300 after he was pictured urinating in the street. The former US ambassador was photographed relieving himself in Notting Hill, west London, last November after attending a dinner party with former Conservative Chancellor George Osborne. Kensington and Chelsea council confirmed it is seeking to issue a fixed-penalty notice to the former Labour grandee over the incident which carries a maximum fine of £300 within the borough, which can be reduced to £150 if paid within 14 days. A council spokesperson said: “We are looking to issue a fixed penalty notice but need to obtain a suitable address.” A fixed-penalty notice is not a criminal conviction but can show up on the police national computer. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea confirmed it is looking to fine Lord Mandelson, as first reported by The Sun newspaper. Responding to the initial reports, Mandelson said: “I can only offer my profuse apologies. “I was stood up by two Uber drivers and kept waiting in the street …

Police gear up to interview high-profile witnesses over Peter Mandelson – POLITICO

Police gear up to interview high-profile witnesses over Peter Mandelson – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

As is standard in a British police investigation, the force has not disclosed who it would question as a witness, and being questioned as such would not imply any wrongdoing. The Metropolitan Police declined to comment on an ongoing investigation. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has faced scrutiny over what Mandelson said during the process that led to his appointment as ambassador to D.C., and has claimed he was misled by the veteran Labour politician during that process. There is little precedent for interviewing a serving prime minister as a witness, although Tony Blair was in 2006 questioned by police as a witness in a criminal probe during the “cash-for-honors” scandal. In 2022 Boris Johnson answered a police questionnaire under caution over coronavirus lockdown-breaching parties in government. Police are likely to have multiple leads to pursue before taking such a sensitive decision. Whether to interview Morgan McSweeney, who as chief of staff advised Starmer over Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador, is under active consideration. The powerful adviser resigned from the role as scrutiny over the appointment process …

Prosecutors ‘providing investigative advice’ to police in Andrew and Mandelson probes | UK News

Prosecutors ‘providing investigative advice’ to police in Andrew and Mandelson probes | UK News

Published by Sam Flores

Prosecutors are “providing early investigative advice” to the police as they carry out inquiries into Peter Mandelson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s links to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Both Mandelson, the former UK ambassador to the US, and Andrew, the former Duke of York, were arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office over their connections to Epstein. Both Mandelson and Andrew were released under investigation. You need javascript enabled to view this content Enable javascript to share Share Andrew seen leaving police station after arrest “We can confirm that we are now providing early investigative advice to the Metropolitan Police Service regarding the force’s investigation into a 72-year-old man and will continue to liaise as requested,” a Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spokesperson said on Wednesday. “We can now also confirm that we are providing early investigative advice to Thames Valley Police in relation to a 66-year-old man. “We remain ready to support any investigation if needed.” Andrew was arrested at Sandringham on 19 February on suspicion he shared sensitive information with Epstein when he …

Starmer: ‘Far-fetched’ to link McSweeney phone theft to Mandelson files | Politics News

Starmer: ‘Far-fetched’ to link McSweeney phone theft to Mandelson files | Politics News

Published by Sam Flores

Sir Keir Starmer has said it is “a little bit far-fetched” to suggest the theft of Morgan McSweeney’s phone was linked to the release of files relating to Lord Mandelson. The government is facing questions after it emerged that the PM’s former chief of staff’s phone was stolen, leading to the likely loss of his messages with the sacked ambassador to the US. The government-issued device was reported stolen after Mandelson’s firing, but before parliament forced the government to publish all papers and communications relating to his appointment and time in office. Politics latest – follow live Asked whether the phone’s disappearance is part of a “cover-up”, Sir Keir replied: “Well the phone was stolen. It was reported to the police. “There’s a transcript of the call in which Morgan McSweeney gives his name, his date of birth, the details of the phone and the police confirm that it was reported. “Unfortunately, there are thefts like this. It was stolen. It was reported at the time and the police have acknowledged and confirmed that that …

Trump’s team repeatedly tried to intervene over Mandelson appointment – POLITICO

Trump’s team repeatedly tried to intervene over Mandelson appointment – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Then-Ambassador Pierce and senior U.K. embassy aide Senay Bulbul, both of whom were credited with building good links with MAGA figures, were also in attendance at the Palm Beach meeting. Pierce herself discussed the diplomatic matter with Mike Waltz, who briefly served as Trump’s national security adviser, but did not attempt to escalate any concerns as a result of their conversation, an email in the tranche of documents shows. McSweeney, a close ally of Mandelson, remained an advocate for the Labour veteran long after the meeting and even until the day he was fired, according to contemporary accounts. McSweeney could not be reached for comment. By January 2025, any major concerns appear to have been allayed. An email from Olly Robbins, the top civil servant at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, to Downing Street indicated that Pierce had spoken to Waltz and there was “no suggestion that Peter’s nomination was an issue” for Trump.  Starmer apologized again for the debacle last week, saying “it was me that made a mistake” in deciding that the former business secretary should become the …

Starmer’s government set to wrestle with Mandelson files release until after Easter – POLITICO

Starmer’s government set to wrestle with Mandelson files release until after Easter – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

One key reason, said three people with knowledge of the discussions (including one of those noted above), is that Downing Street wants to publish the vast majority of outstanding messages that MPs ordered for disclosure on Feb. 4 in one single batch, rather than in dribs and drabs. Retrieval has also been ongoing, with some of the raw messages with Mandelson — specifically from WhatsApp groups — only extracted from people’s phones in recent days, a fifth person with knowledge of the process said. The wait could add to the political difficulties facing Starmer, with headlines about Mandelson dragging out even longer. The post-Easter timing raises the prospect that private remarks by Starmer’s own ministers will become public shortly before elections on May 7, which some MPs believe could determine his future as PM. ‘Reputational risk’ The release of U.K. government communications, which follows the disclosure of millions of documents related to the U.S. investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was set in motion after Labour MPs backed a call by the …

Mandelson ‘received £1.5m from selling shares in collapsed firm’

Mandelson ‘received £1.5m from selling shares in collapsed firm’

Published by Sam Flores

Lord Mandelson made more than £1.5m from selling his shares in his lobbying firm before it collapsed over his links to Jeffrey Epstein, it has been reported. The peer is said to have received £250,000 for his remaining stake in Global Counsel just days before the company shut down last month. Meanwhile, his former colleagues’ shares ended up worthless, three sources told the Financial Times. The newspaper reported that the former business secretary had made between £1.3m and £1.4m in an earlier sale of shares to friends and associates in 2024. One source said the peer had received money “from a business that he destroyed”, adding: “If he had any decency he would donate the money to the victims of his friend Jeffrey Epstein.” Lord Mandelson tries on a belt on a 2005 shopping trip with Jeffrey Epstein in the Caribbean in a photo released from the Epstein files – US House Oversight Committee Global Counsel collapsed into administration on Feb 19 after losing a succession of high-profile clients including Barclays, Tesco, the Premier League, …

Who is Peter Mandelson? The controversial Labour grandee who was Epstein’s best pal

Who is Peter Mandelson? The controversial Labour grandee who was Epstein’s best pal

Published by Sam Flores

Government documents have revealed new details about Lord Mandelson’s appointment as the UK’s ambassador to the US and the aftermath of his sacking last year. Lord Mandelson was sacked as ambassador last year following revelations detailing his friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The first batch of documents show that senior officials had raised concerns about Lord Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador and that he’d asked for over £500,000 in severance pay. But as someone who is staunchly anti-Brexit and who supports more cooperation with China, he is seen by some as the riskier choice to take on the role in Donald Trump’s Washington. Mandelson was dubbed the “Prince of Darkness” during his years as Tony Blair’s spin doctor PA Archive Born in Hendon in 1953 Lord Mandelson grew up in the leafy Hampstead Garden Suburb in Barnet, where he attended the Hendon County Grammar School and acted with local amateur theatre group, the Hampstead Garden Suburb Dramatic Society. On his mother Mary’s side, he is the grandson of Herbert Morrison, a …