Sir Olly Robbins, permanent secretary at the foreign office has been sacked over the Peter Mandelson affair
No 10 says foreign office failed to tell the PM and anyone in No 10 that Mandelson had failed security vetting with reports that neither the PM nor his advisors were told, over a series of months, that Mandelson had been granted security clearance against the recommendation of UK security vetting
Meanwhile The Tories, Lib Dem’s, the Green Party and Reform U.K. have all called for the Prime Minister to resign over the Peter Mandelson affair
“It looks as though he has misled Parliament and lied to the British public. If that is the case, he must go” said Ed Davy the Lib Dem leader after it emerged this afternoon that Peter Mandelson failed his security vetting for US Ambassador
Kemi Badenoch says she believes Keir Starmer has “lied” about not knowing Peter Mandelson failed his vetting.
“He knew. It’s preposterous. The story does not stack up. The Prime Minister is taking us for fools.”
Keir Starmer had already announced his role so the Foreign Office used a rare power to overrule security officials and will face serious questions over whether he misled the public in remarks about the security vetting process, which he said had given Mandelson “clearance for the role”
However asked by Sky News if he will consider his position Darren Jones, chief secretary to the PM, told Sky News: “No. And I think if you look at what’s going on in the world, not least in relation to the conflicts in the Middle East and what that’s doing for people’s living standards, energy bills, food prices…
“You need a credible, reliable, strong Prime Minister to be able to take the country through those difficult challenges.”
Nigel Farage said “Keir Starmer said in February that the security services had given Mandelson “clearance for the role”… he has blatantly lied… the Prime Minister should resign”
