Lammy Criticizes Civil Service Over Mandelson Vetting Affair
Keir Starmer would have prevented Peter Mandelson from serving as the UK’s ambassador to Washington had he been aware of Mandelson’s failure to pass security vetting, according to David Lammy. Lammy made these remarks as he sought to support the prime minister amid the controversy surrounding the vetting process.
In his first public comments on the matter, Lammy described it as "inexplicable" that Oliver Robbins, the former senior civil servant recently removed from the Foreign Office, chose not to inform Downing Street about the vetting outcome.
Starmer has faced intense scrutiny since revealed on Thursday that the Foreign Office had overridden a decision to deny Mandelson security clearance. The prime minister is scheduled to face MPs on Monday to address the issue and mitigate the impact on his leadership.
Lammy Expresses Shock and Lack of Prior Knowledge
Lammy, who serves as deputy prime minister, told he was "shocked and surprised" upon learning about the situation last week. However, he emphasized that neither he nor his advisers had been informed about or sought details regarding the vetting process or its results. Both Starmer and Yvette Cooper, the current foreign secretary, have also stated they were unaware of the vetting failure until recently.
Lammy acknowledged that there had been "some time pressures" on the Foreign Office in January of the previous year to confirm Mandelson’s appointment, coinciding with Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
"There was a feeling that obviously Trump had won the election in November, he was moving into the White House, and it would be good if we had an ambassador. So there was some time pressures around that I recall at the time."
Lammy Confident Starmer Would Have Blocked Appointment
In his interview, Lammy stated:
"I have absolutely no doubt at all, knowing the PM as I do, that had he known that Peter Mandelson had not passed the vetting, he would never, ever have appointed him ambassador.
"The prime minister was not particularly close to Peter Mandelson. He hadn’t worked with him in the past, as some of us had. He was weighing a decision, but I’m quite sure had he known that, he would not have become ambassador. Therefore this is inexplicable."
Lammy recounted being on a military flight returning from the Middle East when the captain urgently summoned him to the cockpit to inform him that No 10 needed to contact him via radio. He described the moment as "dramatic and serious and unexpected," marking the first time he heard about the vetting issue.
When asked if he or his advisers had been informed or had inquired about Mandelson’s vetting during their time at the Foreign Office, Lammy responded:
"No. And let me just be absolutely clear, in the years in which I have been both in this government and the last government, I have never had any official talk to me about vetting, or the detail of vetting, so I would remember if this had ever been raised with me."
Robbins’ Role and Civil Service Protocols
Oliver Robbins received the vetting outcome after Starmer had announced Mandelson’s appointment. Despite a separate due diligence process, Robbins highlighted the reputational risks associated with sending Mandelson to Washington.
Allies argue Robbins was adhering to established rules by withholding vetting details from ministers. Some insiders speculate Robbins acted in line with expectations at that stage, while others suggest mitigations were already in place following the due diligence report.
Lammy, who also serves as justice secretary and appointed Robbins to his role in January 2025, described Robbins as an "outstanding" civil servant. He added:
"I don’t know what happened in this circumstance. I’m surprised and shocked by it. He was only a few weeks into the job."
Foreign Affairs Committee and Review of Vetting Process
The foreign affairs committee released correspondence from foreign secretary Yvette Cooper to the committee chair Emily Thornberry. Cooper stated:
"I [the foreign secretary] have required the FCDO [Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office] to conduct a full review of all the information that the department has given to your committee on the security vetting process undertaken as part of Lord Mandelson’s appointment."
Local Elections and Political Fallout
Lammy suggested that the upcoming local elections would be challenging for the Labour party even before the Mandelson controversy, with polls forecasting difficult results nationwide. He expressed regret that the issue had resurfaced amid these circumstances.
He commented:
"It feels to me like these are tough midterm elections. I’ve knocked on a lot of doors up and down the country, particularly in London … There is a mood that has continued of cost of living pressures and angst and concern about public services.
"Local authority elections are to some extent a referendum on concerns about public services. I suspect the electorate will be communicating how they feel to all political parties, but certainly to the governing party, that’s what you would expect."
When asked if the elections would be even tougher due to the Mandelson scandal, Lammy responded:
"Clearly the fallout of Peter Mandelson’s behaviour and the decision to appoint him has … rumbled on for months and months and months.
"I regret that this is back again in the news when actually most people are worried about petrol prices, how the closure of the strait of Hormuz and the war in Iran is going to affect (them)."
