The New Labour architect is said to have been initially denied developed vetting clearance in January 2025 – weeks after the PM had officially announced his appointment.
However, according to the Guardian the Foreign Office deployed a rarely-used power to override the recommendation from security officials.
The fact that Mandelson did not get signed off has not previously been revealed, despite the Government being forced by MPs to release of a batch of documents about the process.
Sir Keir previously insisted Mandelson was subject to “security vetting, carried out independently by the security services, which is an intensive exercise that gave him clearance for the role”.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: “Last September, Keir Starmer told Parliament three times that ”full due process” was followed over the appointment of Lord Mandelson.
“We now know the Prime Minister misled the House. The Prime Minister must take responsibility.”
Nigel Farage said: “Now we discover that he has blatantly lied, the Prime Minister should resign.”
Lib Dem leader Ed Davey also called for the PM’s resignation. “Keir Starmer had already made a catastrophic error of judgement,” he said.
“Now it looks as though he has also misled Parliament and lied to the British public. If that is the case, he must go.”...<<<Read More>>>...
