Chris Mason: Mandelson Nightmare Haunts Starmer Again, as Senior Figure Effectively Sacked
Key Developments
On Thursday, the prime minister’s plan to dispatch Lord Mandelson to Washington sparked a crisis that has left Sir Keir Starmer grappling with mounting pressure. The fallout has resulted in the removal of Sir Olly Robbins, the top civil servant at the Foreign Office. Some within the opposition and the Labour Party believe this could ultimately jeopardize the prime minister’s position.
The Breaking Point
Shortly after 3:00 PM BST, the Guardian revealed that Lord Mandelson had not passed his security vetting. However, the Foreign Office overturned this decision. As soon as the news broke, I contacted multiple departments, including the Foreign Office, Downing Street, David Lammy’s team, and the Cabinet Office. For nearly three hours, no one responded, which is unusual for such a critical story.
Opposition leaders swiftly concluded that the Guardian’s claims were credible. One by one, they appeared on camera to accuse the prime minister of misleading Parliament. If he was knowingly deceptive, they argued, he would face significant political consequences.
The Government’s Response
As I prepared to report live for BBC News at Six, a government statement arrived. It claimed that neither the prime minister nor any minister had been aware of the decision until Tuesday evening, when documents related to Lord Mandelson were reviewed as part of parliamentary demands. This revelation fueled further questions about the prime minister’s oversight.
Sir Keir Starmer is reportedly livid. Sources close to him suggest that the Foreign Office was privy to the situation but failed to inform key decision-makers. This lack of communication has led to Sir Olly Robbins’ dismissal. The BBC has since spoken to Labour MPs, who expressed varying reactions.
“I think we’ve now reached the stage where the prime minister was blissfully unaware is a good explanation,” one Labour MP remarked. “Lost for words,” said another. “Surely the cabinet now see it’s dead,” added a third, a longstanding critic of Downing Street, implying the prime minister’s tenure might be nearing its end.
This is the final blow Starmer needs. And it’s unlikely to be the last of this unfolding drama.
