US Rep. Brian Mast warned Secretary of State Marco Rubio about alleged Chinese "malign influence" in a bid for a $10 billion contract to operate Argentina's Parana River. The tender bars state-owned firms, but Mast claims China is using a Belgian company, Jan De Nul, as a proxy.
Donald Trump drew parallels between his approach to AI and past US policies on technology exports, stating the goal is to maintain American superiority. He suggested that helping foreign companies, even within the US, could hinder America's overall success in AI.
US House Republicans are debating new semiconductor export restrictions targeting China, which would require allied nations like the Netherlands and Japan to more closely align with Washington's curbs on advanced semiconductor equipment sales. Analysts suggest Beijing may remain unfazed due to prior adaptations reducing American market reliance.
Morgan McSweeney, former chief of staff to Keir Starmer, has admitted that advising the Prime Minister to appoint Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the United States was a 'serious error of judgment'. In testimony to a committee, McSweeney acknowledged he was wrong to support the appointment and accepted responsibility, stating he resigned because accountability in public life cannot apply only when convenient. He revealed that Mandelson and George Osborne were the two strong candidates for the role, and that he regarded Mandelson as the lead candidate due to his experience as an EU trade commissioner.
The Foreign Affairs Committee is hearing evidence about the vetting of Lord Mandelson's appointment as UK ambassador to the US, which was sacked in September 2025 over links to Jeffrey Epstein. Senior civil servant Sir Philip Barton said he was first aware of the decision on 15 December 2024 - five days before public announcement - and believed he should have been consulted. He said there was pressure to complete vetting by Trump's inauguration and no-one asked him to ensure the process was rigorous, despite identifying Epstein as a 'toxic hot potato subject'. The PM previously said 'no pressure existed whatsoever' before later acknowledging 'different types of pressure'.
Former Foreign Office permanent secretary Philip Barton has told MPs he had concerns about Peter Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador due to Mandelson's links with Jeffrey Epstein, warning it could become politically difficult in the US. Barton said he was not consulted about the appointment and was simply told to 'get on with it' after the decision was made. He confirmed there was pressure on the Foreign Office to process Mandelson's security vetting quickly, though he did not believe the substance of the vetting decision was affected. The testimony comes ahead of a parliamentary vote on a motion referring Keir Starmer to the privileges committee over claims he misled MPs about the Mandelson vetting process.
Keir Starmer faces a vote on referring him to the privileges committee over his appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador, with evidence from former Foreign Office permanent secretary Philip Barton and ex-chief of staff Morgan McSweeney to the foreign affairs committee. While Labour is expected to easily win the vote, the committee testimony may impact how MPs view Starmer, particularly after the sacking of Olly Robbins over the vetting controversy.
Emily Thornberry says foreign affairs committee already looking into issue and more documents are due to be publishedGood morning. Kemi Badenoch is trying to get Lindsay Hoyle, the speaker, to give MPs a vote on a proposal to get the Commons privileges committee to investigate allegations that Keir Starmer lied to MPs in statements he made to them about the vetting of Peter Mandelson. Other opposition parties may be backing her, but we don’t know for sure because the process is relatively secret; MPs have to write a private letter to the speaker, who then decides whether this is a serious request that should be decided by the Commons as a whole, or a frivolous complaint that should be ignored. (We do know that Karl Turner has written to the speaker about this too, but only because he was daft enough to post his letter on social media last week.) Today we are likely to find out whether or not Hoyle is agreeing to a Commons vote.Boris Johnson was referred to the privileges committee over allegations that he lied to MPs about Partygate (allegations the committee concluded were justified). Badenoch wants to make the case that Starmer is just as dishonest as Johnson. He isn’t, by any stretch, and the claims that Starmer lied to MPs about Mandelson are spurious; they relate to contest intepretations of political language of the kind that are commonplace in parliamentary debate. But the fact that this has even become a live consideration for the speaker is a big win for the Tories.The fact that Kemi Badenoch has changed the accusations she is levelling against the PM on an almost daily basis as her claims have failed to stand up to scrutiny shows what this is really about. This is a nakedly political stunt with no substance ahead of the May elections.Any comparison with Boris Johnson is absurd. When parliament referred that matter to the privileges committee, a police investigation had directly disproved his categoric statements that he knew nothing about the breach of lockdown rules.I suppose our constituents might ask [if a privileges committee goes ahead], have we got the balance right between holding the government to account and seemingly squabbling amongst ourselves when there is so much else going on that perhaps parliament ought to be focusing on as well.I have to say, a really truthful position is, why the rush at the moment? Has it got anything to do with local elections? Continue reading...
Chief property and security officer Ian Collard set to submit written answers to foreign affairs committee questionsA key figure in the row over Peter Mandelson’s appointment as UK ambassador to Washington will not appear before a parliamentary committee of MPs to give evidence.Dame Emily Thornberry had requested that Ian Collard speak to the foreign affairs committee (FAC) on Tuesday, but confirmed on Saturday that he would submit written answers instead.Whether he felt under pressure to deliver Lord Mandelson’s clearance, after Sir Olly said there was an “atmosphere of pressure” and “constant chasing” from Downing Street.Whether he had seen the cover form for Lord Mandelson’s vetting by UK Security Vetting (UKSV), the agency responsible for checks on candidates for sensitive posts, in which it had ticked two red boxes – meaning they had “high concern” and recommended “clearance denied or withdrawn”.If he was asked by anyone in the Foreign Office, Downing Street or the Cabinet Office for advice about whether Lord Mandelson required vetting for the post given he was a member of the House of Lords.If he advised on how Lord Mandelson should be treated during the period between his appointment being announced and his clearance coming through. Continue reading...
Ian Collard, the civil servant who briefed Sir Olly Robbins about UK Security Vetting's recommendation not to clear Lord Mandelson for the US ambassador role, will not appear before the Foreign Affairs Committee for oral questioning. Committee chair Dame Emily Thornberry said the Foreign Office declined the request, with Collard only providing written evidence. The controversy centers on whether Sir Olly received accurate information before granting clearance against UKSV's recommendation, leading to his sacking last week. A review by Sir Adrian Fulford is examining the briefing process.
The Foreign Office has declined a request for civil servant Ian Collard to testify before the Foreign Affairs Committee regarding the vetting of Lord Mandelson. Collard will provide evidence in writing instead, as an independent review investigates the security clearance process.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee passed 20 new export control measures, including the Match Act, to restrict Chinese access to US technology and bar Chinese chipmakers from advanced semiconductor equipment. The measures represent the largest significant export control markup in Congress history, requiring allies like Japan and the Netherlands to align with US restrictions on selling advanced semiconductor equipment to China.
Cat Little, Cabinet Office permanent secretary, will give evidence to MPs regarding the vetting of Peter Mandelson for ambassadorial clearance. The hearing follows controversy over Olly Robbins's sacking and the discovery of a recommendation against granting Mandelson clearance.
