Starmer tells MPs Foreign Office has been stripped of power to overrule vetting | Foreign policy
The Foreign Office has been stripped of its power to override review decisions in the wake of the Peter Mandelson scandal, Keir Starmer told MPs as he tried to see his side of events in a politically significant statement to parliament.
Starmer, who admitted that it seemed “incredible” that he and other ministers were not initially told that Mandelson had been denied a security clearance, also said he had ordered an investigation into any security concerns surrounding Mandelson’s tenure as ambassador to Washington.
“I know many members of the House will find these facts incredible,” Starmer said, after explaining how the Foreign Office chose to override the initial review decision and not tell anyone.
He continued: “I can only say that they were right. Throughout the entire timeline of events, State Department officials saw fit to keep this information from the most senior ministers in our system of government. The vast majority of people in this country do not expect politics, government or accountability to work that way, and I don’t think most public servants think it should work that way.”
Starmer, who last week laid out a detailed timeline of events that culminated in the Guardian revealing that Mandelson had not been granted review permission, began by admitting that he had made a serious mistake with his choice of ambassador in the first place.
“Before we get into the details, I want to be very clear with this House that while this statement will focus on the process around the review and appointment of Peter Mandelson, I also have a judgment that is inherently wrong in this,” he said. “I shouldn’t have appointed Peter Mandelson.”
Responding on behalf of the Conservatives, Kemi Badenoch said the concerns “go beyond fairness and decency, it is a matter of national security” and added that Starmer had potentially breached the ministerial code by not updating MPs last week.
The Conservative Party leader continued: “The government’s story gets darker and more contradictory with every turn, with every statement. It’s time for the truth.”
Starmer stated that Mandelson’s review took place in December 2024 and January 2025, after the appointment was announced, adding that this was in line with political appointment procedures, but these have now been changed and therefore the review should be done first.
On 28 January 2025, it continued: The UK Security Review (UKSV) “recommended to the Foreign Office that the developed review warrant should be refused to Peter Mandelson”, but the Foreign Office chose to override this, a power that other ministries do not have. Starmer said that power was suspended by No 10 last week after the news emerged.
Starmer said he understood why sensitive personal information had to be kept secret, but said it was impossible to understand why the fact that Mandelson had initially been rejected was not conveyed. “There is no law preventing civil servants from sensitively marking UKSV recommendations while protecting detailed, sensitive review information, allowing ministers to decide on appointments or explain matters to parliament,” he said.
“Had I known before he took up his post that he would not have accepted the appointment following UKSV’s recommendation that enhanced review leave be refused.”
Starmer described it as “surprising” that the Foreign Office had still not notified him when then-civil service chief Chris Wormald reviewed the appointment following Mandelson’s sacking in September 2025 and advised that normal processes had been followed.
He also said Olly Robbins, the chief Foreign Office civil servant who was sacked last week, had made a statement to a House of Commons committee, signed by the foreign secretary, saying the review was being conducted to ordinary standards.
Starmer said: “Let me be very clear to the meeting that this was in response to questions such as whether concerns had been raised, what the Foreign Office response was and whether the concerns had been dismissed.
“It is absolutely inexcusable that the Secretary of State was allowed to sign this statement without being told by Foreign Office officials that UKSV had recommended that Peter Mandelson be refused enhanced review authorization.”
Starmer added that it was “frankly surprising” that the news was not passed on in February this year when No 10 instructed authorities to review their investigative processes.
He said he finally found out Tuesday, adding: “This is information I should have had a long time ago, and this house should have had a long time ago. It’s information that I and the house have a right to know.”
