Mandelson Security Vetting Saga Threatens Starmer Premiership

"I think the whole Mandelson story, in a way, is an example of how much the Trump presidency has sort of wobbled and shaken the Starmer premiership," Jonathan Freedland tells Helen Pidd. "And may in the end be responsible for the decision which ultimately costs this prime minister his job." On Monday, Keir Starmer addressed the Commons on revelations in the Guardian that Peter Mandelson had failed the UK security vetting process before taking up the role as US ambassador – but the foreign office had overturned the decision. "In a way, he fleshed out just more the centre of his case," Jonathan tells Helen. "Essentially to point the finger at what he painted as an egregious, extraordinary decision and set of decisions by officials, particularly one, their newly appointed permanent secretary at the Foreign Office, Sir Olly Robbins. He was saying that those decision-makers had a power that, until last week, was barely known in Whitehall, including apparently by Downing Street, which was to receive the advice of the vetters, the security vetting agency, and then to overrule it." Jonathan and Helen discuss what this saga means for Starmer and the Labour party in the upcoming local elections.