Keir Starmer faces emergency debate on Lord Mandelson appointment in just hours

Jack Walters
Mon, 20 Apr 2026 18:20:58 +0000

Sir Keir Starmer will face an emergency debate on Lord Mandelson's appointment as the UK's Ambassador to the US following an application by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch.

The Prime Minister was today hit with a barrage of criticism from MPs across the House of Commons after it emerged that Lord Mandelson did not pass security vetting.

Mrs Badenoch, who said "serious questions [remain] about what he knew and when" and warned the Prime Minister had "serious inconsistencies" in his position, had her pitch accepted by Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.

The debate is expected to start at around 12.30pm on Tuesday, shortly after ex-Foreign Office mandarin Sir Olly Robbins provides evidence to MPs.

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Sir Keir, who defiantly dismissed calls to resign, was accused of throwing Foreign Office officials under the bus after the Prime Minister shifted the blame to mandarins over Lord Mandelson's vetting.

"It beggars belief that throughout the whole timeline of events, officials in the Foreign Office saw fit to withhold this information from the most senior ministers in our system in Government," Sir Keir told MPs.

"That is not how the vast majority of people in this country expect politics, Government, or accountability to work. And I do not think it is how most public servants think it should work, either."

However, the Prime Minister was met with a chorus of laughter after describing key facts surrounding Lord Mandelson's appointment as "incredible".

During the debate, Mrs Badenoch claimed Sir Keir broke the ministerial code after the Prime Minister told MPs "full due process" was followed during Lord Mandelson's appointment.

Responding to Tory MP John Lamont later in the debate, Sir Keir dismissed the suggestion he misled MPs over Lord Mandelson.

“No, I did not mislead the House of Commons," the Prime Minister said.

"I accept that information that I should have had and information that the House should have had should have been before the House but I did not mislead the House and that’s why I have set out the account in full.”

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Sir Keir faced fury from MPs across the Commons, with Reform UK's chief whip Lee Anderson and ex-Labour hardliner Zarah Sultana being ejected from the chamber after accusing the Prime Minister of lying.

Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey and Green Party MP Ellie Chowns heaped pressure on Sir Keir to resign as Prime Minister.

Labour veterans Diane Abbott, John McDonnell and Richard Burgon all launched scathing attacks against the Prime Minister for his previous association with Lord Mandelson.

After being asked by now-suspended Labour rebel Karl Turner about how he intends to win back the trust of the country, Sir Keir said: "It is important that we remain focused on the cost of living and dealing with the war on two fronts that we face in this country, and I intend to do that."

However, Sir Olly's appearance at the Foreign Affairs Select Committee tomorrow comes shortly after Sir Keir publicly fumed at Whitehall officials.

Lord Mandelson was unveiled as the UK's Ambassador to the US in December 2024.

UK Security Vetting, a specialist agency within the Cabinet Office that started the vetting process in late December 2024, recommended that Developed Vetting clearance should be denied on January 28, 2025.

Foreign Office mandarins opted to go against this advice and grant the New Labour grandee clearance just two days later.

Allies of Sir Olly have argued he had a duty not to disclose details of the vetting, which are highly intrusive and personal, as this would undermine the process.

Sir Keir, who effectively sacked Sir Olly last week, insisted no law was preventing the Foreign Office's top official from sharing the information.

The Prime Minister told MPs: “There is no law that stops civil servants sensibly flagging UKSV recommendations, while protecting detailed sensitive vetting information, to allow ministers to make judgments on appointments or explaining matters to Parliament.”

However, Sir Keir today refused to set a date for the release of the next tranche of files relating to Lord Mandelson's appointment.

“We are complying with the humble address as quickly as possible and we will comply with it fully," the Prime Minister instead said.

The Intelligence and Security Committee is now putting pressure on the Prime Minister to "expedite" the disclosure of the information after previously being told the documents relating to the vetting process did not exist.