Starmer says ‘deliberate decision’ made not to tell him of Mandelson’s failed vetting – follow live

Image supply, House of Commons

Starmer says he was within the course of of appointing a brand new ambassador to the US in December 2024.

A due diligence train was carried out by the Cabinet Office into Mandelson’s suitability, together with questions put to him by Starmer’s workers in No 10, he says.

On 10 December, Mandelson answered the questions. The subsequent day Starmer acquired closing recommendation on the due diligence course of, he says.

The prime minister tells the Commons he made the choice on 18 December to appoint Mandelson, and the appointment was introduced on 20 December, earlier than the safety vetting course of started on 23 December.

“For a direct ministerial appointment, it was usual for security vetting to happen after the appointment but before starting in post,” Starmer says.

This was confirmed by former Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald in November 2025 at a listening to of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

“After I sacked Mandelson I changed that process so that now an appointment cannot be announced until after security vetting is passed,” he provides.