Germany's Foreign Office advised the AfD party against attending the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, citing the need to maintain pressure on Russia over its war in Ukraine and avoid creating an impression of normalcy.
US data analytics firm Palantir, valued at $375bn, faces growing criticism for its AI-driven software used by governments and corporations globally, including the NHS and US military. Concerns range from data privacy and potential misuse to its CEO's controversial statements and its role in geopolitical tensions.
Newly released documents reveal Peter Mandelson received sensitive security briefings and met with MI6 heads before completing his vetting process for the Washington ambassador role. Questions remain over withheld documents and security concerns.
James Roscoe, the deputy head of mission at the British embassy in Washington, has abruptly left his post. Roscoe previously served as interim ambassador and held key roles in diplomatic events.
Eighty-five Russia-linked people and entities have been sanctioned as part of a UK government crackdown on “pro-Kremlin narratives abroad”. The sanctions, imposed on Monday, were designed to target 29 individuals and organisations thought to have helped Russia forcibly deport and militarise Ukrainian children. More than 20,000 Ukrainian children have been taken to Russia and the territories which it has occupied, according to the UK Foreign Office. A further 56 individuals and organisations have...
Backbench MP calls prime minister’s speech ‘too little, too late’ but stops short of moving to stand against him herselfWho are the main threats to Keir Starmer’s Labour leadership?UK politics live – latest updatesCatherine West, the Labour MP who announced a challenge to Keir Starmer’s leadership, has changed course and said she instead wants the prime minister to set a timetable of September for his departure.West, the MP for Hornsey and Friern Barnet and a former Foreign Office minister, announced on Saturday that she would seek the gather the 81 Labour MPs’ names needed to formally challenge Starmer, while arguing that this was just a device to tempt others to stand, and that she did not wish to take over. Continue reading...
MP says that unless a cabinet minister comes forward to challenge the PM by tomorrow that she willGood morning. There were many predictions for Labour’s future ahead of the English, Scottish and Welsh elections, which have been terrible for the party, but there is one outcome foreseen by no one: a leadership challenge by Catherine West.West, MP for Hornsey and Friern Barnet and a junior Foreign Office minister until she was sacked in the reshuffle last year, announced yesterday afternoon that, unless a cabinet minister comes forward to challenge Starmer for the Labour leadership by tomorrow morning, she will do it herself. She would need the support of 81 Labour MPs to trigger a contest; there is no evidence that she has those numbers and (for reasons that are probably a mystery to anyone under the age of 50 – more on that later) she is being described as a stalking horse.I’m not going to walk away from the job I was elected to do in July 2024. I’m not going to plunge the country into chaos. Continue reading...
The PM writes to civil servants following tensions over the sacking of former Foreign Office boss Sir Olly Robbins.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper says the situation is "very serious and deeply stressful" for those involved.
The restrictions were introduced against ten individuals and eight companies
A cross-party group of MPs has expressed alarm over the closure of the Foreign Office's international humanitarian law unit, warning it will impair the UK's ability to monitor and respond to violations of international law.
King Charles III delivered a landmark address to a joint session of US Congress, referencing NATO, Ukraine, and the dangers of isolationism. The speech included pointed mentions of Magna Carta and checks on executive power that drew Democratic applause, while subtly rebuking Trump's positions without direct criticism. Trump called it 'fantastic' and said he was 'very jealous.' The address involved extensive coordination between Buckingham Palace, Downing Street, and the Foreign Office, with the king personally marking up drafts in red ink.
Ed Davey has accused Prime Minister Keir Starmer of cowardice after Labour MPs were whipped to vote against referring him to the Privileges Committee over Peter Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador. The government won the vote 335 to 223, with opposition parties including the Liberal Democrats, SNP and Reform uniting in favour of the referral. Some Labour backbenchers expressed anger at being placed in a position where they would appear complicit in a cover-up.
MPs have voted 335-223 to reject a Conservative motion to refer Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the Privileges Committee over allegations he misled Parliament about Peter Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador. Fifteen Labour MPs defied a three-line whip to support the Conservative-led motion. The government won by a majority of 112, with Starmer absent chairing the Middle East response committee. The vote followed a heated debate with allegations of a cover-up and comparisons to Boris Johnson's own privileges committee battle.
SNP MP Dave Doogan has condemned Keir Starmer's appointment of Lord Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington, comparing it to 'a deal with the devil' and accusing the PM of owing Mandelson a debt for helping secure his election. Doogan claimed Starmer's description of the appointment as a 'mistake' was false, saying it was 'a debt to be repaid.' The debate comes amid controversy over Mandelson's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
Keir Starmer’s elusive ex-chief of staff Morgan McSweeney finally spoke at length in public — along with a former Foreign Office mandarin. POLITICO whips through what we learned.
Morgan McSweeney has admitted that Foreign Office officials came under intense pressure to expedite Peter Mandelson's posting as UK ambassador to Washington, but denied they were forced to skip security vetting steps. The former chief of staff, who resigned over the scandal, acknowledged asking the then top official Philip Barton to process the appointment 'at pace' but insisted he never asked officials to do anything improper. McSweeney described learning the extent of Mandelson's Jeffrey Epstein links as 'a knife through my soul' and admitted a 'serious error of judgment' in advising Keir Starmer to proceed with the appointment.
Commons debate underway after Morgan McSweeney tells committee that advising PM to appoint Mandelson was ‘serious error of judgment’Q: Was there pressure on you to approve Mandelson’s vetting?This is a reference to the claim that Keir Starmer misled MPs last week when he talked about no pressure being placed on the Foreign Office.One is during my tenure. I was not aware of any pressure on the substance of the Mandelson DV case.Question two was there pressure? Absolutely. And I’ve described it. And I also have seen what the Foreign Office said to you last night. [See 8.50am.]I didn’t receive any direct calls from the chief of staff during my time as permanent undersecretary. So there was no call at all. My interactions were always when others were present in a general meeting, there weren’t very many of those either …I’ve really racked my brains and I cannot recall Morgan McSweeney swearing in a meeting at me, or indeed just in general. So I don’t see any substance in that part of it and I think it’s important I say that this morning, given how many people have come to think that might be true. Continue reading...
Senior civil servants appeared before a parliamentary committee to explain the controversial appointment of Lord Mandelson as US ambassador. Evidence revealed pressure from Number 10 to expedite the vetting process before Trump's inauguration, concerns about Mandelson's Epstein connections, and admissions that neither Barton nor McSweeney knew Mandelson had failed UK security vetting. Both officials faced questions about the propriety of the process, with McSweeney admitting he wrongly advised the prime minister to support the appointment.
Kemi Badenoch and Ed Davey have teamed up in the Commons to pressure Keir Starmer to face a parliamentary probe over his claims about Peter Mandelson's security vetting. Badenoch led a motion calling for Starmer to be referred to the privileges committee, accusing him of misleading parliament over the appointment of Mandelson as ambassador to the US before vetting was complete. The Conservative leader accused Labour MPs of being "whipped" to exonerate Starmer before facts were tested, while Ed Davey drew laughs by comparing the situation to Boris Johnson's similar motion.
Kemi Badenoch has opened a Commons debate on referring Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the privileges committee over claims he misled Parliament about the vetting process for Peter Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador. Badenoch accused Labour MPs of acting like 'sheep' for dismissing the debate as a 'stunt'. Meanwhile, Morgan McSweeney, the PM's chief of staff, testified before the foreign affairs committee about the Mandelson appointment, the theft of his phone, and claims he put pressure on officials to lower vetting standards.
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.
Morgan McSweeney has admitted to MPs that advising Prime Minister Keir Starmer to appoint Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington was a serious error of judgment. Giving evidence to the Commons privileges committee, McSweeney acknowledged he resigned because accountability in public life cannot apply only when convenient. The hearing also heard from former Foreign Office permanent secretary Philip Barton, whose evidence backed claims the appointment was pushed through with unseemly haste and that Downing Street was uninterested in vetting concerns.
Former Foreign Office permanent secretary Sir Philip Barton has told MPs that he raised concerns about Peter Mandelson's links to Jeffery Epstein before his appointment as US ambassador, but was given no avenue to express them. Barton said there was 'absolutely' pressure from Downing Street to speed up vetting, with Number 10 appearing 'uninterested' in the process. He said the appointment was announced before vetting was complete, which was 'unusual', and that he was told to 'get on with it' despite his concerns about Epstein's 'toxic' nature in US politics.
