The problem with Keir’s Mandelson defence
4/20/202622 min
The Prime Minister faces another defining day as he confronts MPs over one question - when did he and No10 learn that Peter Mandelson had failed his security vetting?
Keir Starmer has blamed top foreign office diplomat - Sir Olly Robbins - for not telling him, but allies of the mandarin are fighting back ahead of his expected appearance before the Foreign Affairs Select Committee tomorrow.
Sam and Anne unpack the competing claims, the ongoing fallout and whether this has become a defining crisis for the PM - just a fortnight before the local and national elections.
And, away from the fighting in Westminster, are Andy Burnham and Angela Rayner already planning for a future without Keir Starmer?
Plus, is a Kemi Badenoch shadow cabinet reshuffle on the cards?
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSam Coates· Host0:00
[upbeat music] Hello, good morning and welcome. It's Monday, April the 20th. Where's Samantha Niblett when you need her? The author, we learned last week, of The Summer of Sex strategy. I do wonder if Number Ten has been in touch with her, hoping for a second dead cat in as many weeks. I fear they need it. My name is Sam Coates of Sky News.
Anne McElvoy· Host0:22
I can't top that. I'm Anne McElvoy from Politico. Keir Starmer will face the Commons today on the question of Peter Mandelson's vetting ahead of his appointment as US Ambassador, five days after Keir Starmer's premiership was plunged once more again into crisis over the disgraced peer. That's our main topic this morning. Also, do stay tuned because I have some details of the possible upcoming big reshuffle by Kemi Badenoch.
Sam Coates· Host0:53
Okay, that sounds like a important bit, uh, that we'll all end up bookmarking. Stay tuned for that later in the podcast. It's a bit lower down because, of course, there's one big story this morning, uh, and that's the aftermath of Thursday's jolting revelation of The Guardian that after months of reassurance that due process was followed, Peter Mandelson failed the official vetting process, yet was still given clearance, and with it, the job of ambassador to Washington. That's dominated the last few days' political coverage. On Thursday night, Keir Starmer personally phoned the top official in the foreign office to pin the blame on him and sack Olly Robbins for not telling him that Mandelson failed the vetting process,