Mandelson failed security vetting. Starmer says he didn’t know

Casdon

Political prejudices cloud judgement, which is never more obvious than on this thread. This is a time for a cool head.

People on GN weren't totally resistant to change when KS and Starmer came along. I could list quite a few, including myself, who displayed open mindedness and who were willing to wait and see.

The trouble is, Keir Starmer seemingly lurches from crisis to crisis without telling the real truth. My cool head is sweating heavily. 🥵

Luckygirl3

My post was in response to another poster who felt it was relevant to mention the birthday party in a flippant manner that implied there was a parallel to the current situation. There clearly is not.

Mine too!

Casdon

Political prejudices cloud judgement, which is never more obvious than on this thread. This is a time for a cool head.

I am not sure that our current PM has a clear head is he just a nodding dog, under the control of the civil servants?

To not know what is going on with the most senior Ambassador appointment, is not acceptable.

(For what it s worth as a Conservative who is now politically homeless, I always said that if and when Boris `Johnson was found guilty of his alleged misdemeanours he should go, Truss was a disaster and should never have been PM. I liked Rishi Sunak but he was left with one almighty mess… )

My post was in response to another poster who felt it was relevant to mention the birthday party in a flippant manner that implied there was a parallel to the current situation. There clearly is not.

ronib

How exactly can you blame Olly Robbins when he wasn’t in the Civil Service at the time of Mandelson’s vetting and appointment?

Wheels within wheels 🤫

MT62

Ladyleftfieldlover

The right wing press have had it in for Starmer from day one. It’s sad that people have such short memories of the 14 years of Tory misrule. It wasn’t just Johnson who was appallingly bad, don’t forget Truss, who still thinks she did no wrong. In these treacherous times for the world, Starmer is the only choice really to handle the shenanigans created by trump. Can you see Badenoch, or words fail me, Farage on the world stage?

I could see Badenoch on the world stage, but that’s not going to happen under the Tories.
She has way more personality than Starmer. Quicker, wittier than he could ever be.
I just love PMQS when she rips into to him week after week, Starmer just doesn’t have it in him to answer her questions. I feel embarrassed for him.
High light of my week 😂

I like her too. She has more fire in her belly than all the Labour Party put together. As Starmer is doing a one-man demolition job on their chances of being re-elected at the next GE, I sincerely hope the Tories gain momentum because the thought of Reform, Green, Restore etc trotting over the doorstep of No. 10 fills me with horror.

My head is very cool. No one seems bothered that Starmer has used the wrong civil servant to scapegoat.

Nothing to do with anyone else,though, is it ?

Political prejudices cloud judgement, which is never more obvious than on this thread. This is a time for a cool head.

How can you be expected to know actions taken if you are not involved? What super powers is a civil servant meant to have? It’s Philip Barton who needs to be made accountable.

LizzieDrip

As the comparison with Johnson has been raised by other posters (e.g. Boris had to go because of a party!), here’s a reminder of the timeline of Johnson’s scandalous actions as PM:

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-controversies-timeline-why-resign-b2260174.html

Some folk have very short memories!

I haven’t.

This is Starmer’s problem under his watch and has absolutely nothing to do with previous PM’s.

As the comparison with Johnson has been raised by other posters (e.g. Boris had to go because of a party!), here’s a reminder of the timeline of Johnson’s scandalous actions as PM:

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-controversies-timeline-why-resign-b2260174.html

Some folk have very short memories!

Ladyleftfieldlover

The right wing press have had it in for Starmer from day one. It’s sad that people have such short memories of the 14 years of Tory misrule. It wasn’t just Johnson who was appallingly bad, don’t forget Truss, who still thinks she did no wrong. In these treacherous times for the world, Starmer is the only choice really to handle the shenanigans created by trump. Can you see Badenoch, or words fail me, Farage on the world stage?

I could see Badenoch on the world stage, but that’s not going to happen under the Tories.
She has way more personality than Starmer. Quicker, wittier than he could ever be.
I just love PMQS when she rips into to him week after week, Starmer just doesn’t have it in him to answer her questions. I feel embarrassed for him.
High light of my week 😂

What a load of idiots - Robbins is the wrong person to scapegoat. Unless he failed to cover up for his predecessors? Robbins wasn’t there. Bad joke?

As a the head of the service you are ultimately accountable for the actions of your department ronib. It hinges on whether you knew and did not inform the PM, not on whether you were in post at the time the appointment was vetted.
On reflection, I hope this was the PM’s error, because if the Foreign Office withheld this information, I’m very concerned about what other decisions they are taking without consulting politicians.

ronib

How exactly can you blame Olly Robbins when he wasn’t in the Civil Service at the time of Mandelson’s vetting and appointment?

He is being used as the proverbial scapegoat in order to save Lammy and Starmer 🤬

Sir Philip Barton
Also head of HM Diplomatic Service as well as pus at the FO who oversaw Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador presumably. Now do come forward and explain?

Luckygirl3

*And.. Boris had to go after a Birthday party.*

This is so trite! ... sorry, but really ...
Everyone knows that there was far more to it than that. That it was a culmination of his inept handling of a pandemic in which his making a mockery of the government's own rules cost thousands of lives as many people did not stick by the rules because of his example not to. People died ....

Totally irrelevant to the current PM and situation he and his government are facing.

They were elected on a new broom, no sleaze mandate which appeared shaky from day one.

This latest scenario is on a different level.

I am not revelling at his downfall, I am disappointed and frustrated.

How exactly can you blame Olly Robbins when he wasn’t in the Civil Service at the time of Mandelson’s vetting and appointment?

And.. Boris had to go after a Birthday party.

This is so trite! ... sorry, but really ...
Everyone knows that there was far more to it than that. That it was a culmination of his inept handling of a pandemic in which his making a mockery of the government's own rules cost thousands of lives as many people did not stick by the rules because of his example not to. People died ....

GG13
No doubt in my mind, the civil servants.

I have given this much thought and after listening to Darren Jones this morning I have come to the following conclusions

Ignorance is no defence under U.K. law which I sincerely hope KS knows.

If (and it’s a big very big if ) Starmer and Lammy didn’t know that PM had failed the UKSV, why wasn’t they informed by the Foreign Office.

Thirdly who is running the country the civil servants and the Foreign Office or the Government? …

KS either knew about this and lied Or.. If he didn’t as he claims he's just not in control.
Perhaps Mandleson have something over KS? Absolute shambles! Lots of questions....
Either way, he’s not fit to be Prime Minister. KS is running out of road, he's lost all credence and trust.

And.. Boris had to go after a Birthday party.

There’s just one big problem with this story. Mandelson had his appointment confirmed in December 2024. Olly Robbins joined the Foreign Office in January 2025.
Exactly what is happening here?

MartavTaurus

Even if it was the system of choosing Mandelson that was at fault, and it was Olly Robbins who made the mistake, surely the appointment was such a monumental decision at this precarious time that KS would have at least given it ten minutes of his valuable time?

If the FO advised Starmer that vetting was fine what more could he do? Ask them to do it again just in case? If you can't trust senior civil servants in the FO then who else can you ask?
Getting them to vet Mandelsohn was the due process.