"The prime minister's original decision to give Peter Mandelson the US ambassadorship had risks from the start that could be seen from space. Now we know the former Labour minister didn't clear security checks, perhaps it was even, in the words of one government source, 'absolutely mental' - a disastrous episode of 'don't ask, don't tell' spreading political poison months on."
"Starmer's team asked Mandelson three further questions after that report and were satisfied with his answers, although they now believe he misled them. Crucially after the prime minister had given the former Labour minister the job, there was a security check, known as developed vetting."
The appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador has led to significant political backlash, particularly for Sir Keir Starmer. Despite warnings about Mandelson's connections to Jeffrey Epstein, Starmer's team was misled during the vetting process. The security check, known as developed vetting, was supposed to be thorough but did not raise concerns to ministers. The situation reflects a broader issue of public dissatisfaction with leadership and the handling of sensitive appointments within Whitehall.
Read at www.bbc.com
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