Tories seek disclosure of vetting process for Mandelson's role as ambassador

"Keir Starmer could be forced to disclose confidential vetting documents from Peter Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador, with the Tories set to trigger a rare Commons vote to compel their release. Labour MPs have indicated they are not prepared to oppose the Conservative motion known as a humble address that would disclose the details of the vetting process and what if anything was known about Mandelson's links to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein."

"Kemi Badenoch plans to use the arcane parliamentary procedure on Wednesday to force the release of files relating to the appointment of Mandelson as the UK's ambassador to the US. In a dramatic move that will put pressure on Starmer's chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, Badenoch said she would use the procedure to uncover why the proper vetting never happened."

Conservatives will trigger a rare Commons vote, a humble address, to compel release of confidential vetting files from Peter Mandelson's appointment as UK ambassador to the US. Labour MPs will not oppose the motion. Kemi Badenoch plans to use the procedure to force release of emails, WhatsApp messages and texts related to the appointment and probe why proper vetting did not occur. The move aims to put pressure on Labour chief of staff Morgan McSweeney over reported involvement. The Metropolitan police launched a criminal investigation into allegations that Mandelson leaked Downing Street emails and market-sensitive information to Jeffrey Epstein. The disclosures could reveal communications from Keir Starmer, McSweeney and senior Foreign Office official Oliver Robbins and show what ministers knew about appointment risks.

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