Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been pressed to “come clean” on how the sacking of former ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson unfolded and the process that led to his appointment last year.
Starmer, who was not present at an emergency debate on Mandelson’s sacking on Tuesday, said on Monday that he would not have appointed the former ambassador had he known details about his emails to Jeffrey Epstein prior to last December.
The Labour leader said he only found out about emails uncovered by Bloomberg after PMQs last Wednesday, when he had backed Mandelson.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee Emily Thornberry and Sir David Davis, who secured the debate, were among several MPs to criticise Starmer’s conduct over events leading to Mandelson’s dismissal last week.
Kemi Badenoch said Starmer was “hiding from parliament” as she repeatedly called on the Prime Minister to “come clean” on details.
In a statement to MPs, Badenoch said: “It is now very clear that Peter Mandelson should never have been appointed.
“[Starmer] has shrivelled from leadership. He has dodged responsibility. He has hidden behind others.
Badenoch called on Starmer to publish documents pertaining to Mandelon’s appointment in full and issue an apology to Jeffrey Epstein’s victims, adding “He owes it to the country to come clean”.
Foreign office minister Stephen Doughty, who represented the government during the debate, said the Prime Minister took “decisive action” to sack Mandelson and said due process was followed on vetting.
Keir Starmer faces pressure from within Labour
Thornberry, who entered Labour’s deputy leadership race last week before stepping out a day later, said the Foreign Affairs Committee had tried to call for a hearing on Mandelson’s appointment only to be shunned by the Foreign Office.
She questioned whether “red flags” on Mandelson were “missed or ignored”, while adding that those vetting the former ambassador may have been told to “overlook” obvious signs that he posed a risk to national security.
In a letter, foreign secretary Yvette Cooper denied suggestions that the process was not duly followed.
“The propriety and ethics team in the Cabinet Office conducted a due diligence process,” she said.
“The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) was not asked to contribute to that process and no issues were raised with the FCDO as a result of this process. This was not a security check.”
“After Peter Mandelson’s appointment was announced, which started the ambassadorial appointment process, including national security vetting, in advance of him taking up his post.”
Former minister and Tory veteran David Davis said there had been a “double standard” applied to “Labour royalty”, referring to Mandelson’s long history at the top of Tony Blair’s government and his political appointment.
A number of Labour backbenchers including Richard Burgon also spoke out against the Prime Minister, as well as Reform UK’s Richard Tice and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.