The British Prime Minister’s office reportedly claims that officials within the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office withheld critical information about former ambassador Peter Mandelson.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer suggests his own government failed to inform him that Mandelson received security clearance despite concerns raised during the vetting process, including concerns tied to his security vetting and alleged connections involving Jeffrey Epstein, according to SkyNews’ Political Editor Beth Rigby. Officials now say neither Starmer nor Foreign Secretary David Lammy knew that Mandelson’s clearance allegedly went against the recommendation of U.K. security vetting authorities.
NEW: Anger in No 10 tonight – am told by a source 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. That suggests this information was held in foreign…
— Beth Rigby (@BethRigby) April 16, 2026
The scrutiny was toward senior civil servants inside the Foreign Office—particularly Olly Robbins, the department’s top official. Rigby posted that Starmer had already been asking internal questions about the vetting process in recent days, especially after The Guardian reported the story. Despite those inquiries, officials allegedly failed to disclose that Mandelson’s clearance had been granted despite objections from vetting authorities.
Understand PM will come to HoC on Monday to give statement. He will need to correct the record given that he has given parliament incorrect information.
FCDO spox tonite: “PM has initiated a process to establish the facts of the granting of developed vetting and we are working… https://t.co/GPMnL1MPWk
— Beth Rigby (@BethRigby) April 16, 2026
Should officials be held accountable for withholding information about Mandelson's security clearance?
BREAKING: Downing Street says that neither Keir Starmer nor David Lammy knew that Peter Mandelson failed his security vetting – and lays blame with Foreign Office official for overruling the decision.
— Pippa Crerar (@PippaCrerar) April 16, 2026
On March 16, Rigby said she pressed Starmer on Mandelson’s appointment, and he responded that “due process was followed” while acknowledging system weaknesses, calling the outcome “my mistake,” and issuing an apology. 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister’s office, now says officials withheld key vetting details from Starmer, including that Mandelson received security clearance despite concerns, even as he addressed Parliament, according to The Guardian’s political editor Pippa Crerar.
Robbins has reportedly been fired after officials overruled security vetting advice to clear Mandelson. Starmer and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper have lost confidence in Robbins, according to multiple reports.
Under parliamentary rules, ministers breach standards only if they knowingly mislead the House of Commons. Starmer’s allies appear to be building a defense around that threshold, arguing he could not have knowingly misled MPs if officials never provided him the full picture. The Prime Minister is expected to address the House of Commons, the U.K.’s main legislative chamber similar in function to the U.S. Congress, on Monday, Rigby said.
Starmer’s office did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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