London, Apr 21 (EFE).- The United Kingdom government adopted a “dismissive attitude” toward security concerns raised during Peter Mandelson’s background check and pushed to expedite his confirmation as the UK’s ambassador to the United States in January 2025, a former top civil servant said Tuesday.
Olly Robbins, former head of the British Foreign Office, was giving evidence to lawmakers on the Foreign Affairs Committee about his role in vetting Mandelson, who was dismissed by the government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, nine months after appointing him.
Starmer sacked Robbins last week following reports that the Foreign Office had cleared Mandelson for the post despite negative recommendations from the a security vetting agency.
A day after Starmer was questioned by MPs over how the appointment was approved, Robbins said the agency considered Mandelson a “borderline case” and was “leaning toward” security clearance being “denied.”
Visibly nervous during questioning, Robbins admitted there were high expectations from the Prime Minister’s Office at 10 Downing Street that Mandelson should take charge of the diplomatic mission in Washington as soon as possible.
He added that the process to approve Mandelson was already underway when he assumed his post at the Foreign Office in late 2024.
However, the candidate’s suitability still needed to be established, as the role involved access to «highly classified» information.
“There was an atmosphere of pressure from the Prime Minister’s Office and a very, very strong expectation that Mandelson needed to be in post and in America as quickly as possible,” Robbins told the parliamentary panel. “There was a generally dismissive attitude toward the security vetting process.”
Robbins also said the government took the view that a background check was unnecessary because Mandelson was already a member of the House of Lords.
Mandelson, nicknamed the «Prince of Darkness,» has long been a controversial figure due to his political maneuvering, influence within the Labour Party, and past ties to convicted American sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Mandelson’s background vetting was conducted by UK Security Vetting (UKSV) that assesses the personal history of candidates proposed for public office.
Opposition parties are now questioning Starmer’s fitness to serve as prime minister, arguing that he misled parliament when he said in February that due process had been followed before appointing Mandelson as ambassador.
In the wake of the alleged scandal, Mandelson vacated his seat in the House of Lords and now faces a criminal investigation into possible misconduct in public office.
The controversy has resurfaced just weeks before local elections in England, as well as regional elections in Scotland and Wales scheduled for May 7.
Opinion polls are forecasting heavy losses for Starmer’s party, and the Mandelson controversy is expected to further damage Labour’s electoral prospects. EFE
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