Starmer faces criticism over report on former Labour leaders security clearance

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing renewed scrutiny following reports that former ambassador to Washington Peter Mandelson failed security vetting but was cleared for the role by Foreign Office officials. A government spokesperson denied on Thursday that Starmer had knowledge of the Foreign Office overriding security recommendations regarding Mandelson, who was sacked in September after less than a year in the role due to his links to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

According to reports, Mandelson initially failed vetting in January 2025 but was granted “developed vetting” by the Foreign Office. The UK newspaper The Guardian cited multiple unnamed sources as saying that Starmer had already announced the appointment despite initial clearance issues. In response, the government spokesperson stated that neither Starmer nor any other government ministers were aware of the decision made by the Foreign Office.

Starmer has apologized for the appointment and claimed due process was followed. However, opposition leaders have accused him of misleading Parliament and called for his resignation. The Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey have specifically criticized Starmer’s handling of the situation, with Badenoch stating that he misled Parliament and Davey describing it as a “catastrophic error of judgment”.

The Green Party and Reform UK have also called for Starmer to resign. Mandelson was sacked after documents released by a US Congressional committee revealed new details about his ties to Epstein. Police are currently investigating allegations of misconduct in office by Mandelson, who was arrested and bailed in February.

Source: Al Jazeera