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Sir Keir Starmer has denied misleading the House of Commons over Peter Mandelson’s vetting process to become US ambassador.
The prime minister told MPs in September last year – twice in one day – that “full due process was followed”, when it was revealed Lord Mandelson continued his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein after he was jailed, which led to his sacking.
But after the British government last Wednesday published its first tranche of the Mandelson files, detailing correspondence around his appointment and sacking, questions have been raised about whether Sir Keir did follow the correct process in appointing Lord Mandelson to the top diplomatic job.
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The documents showed the PM and his chief of staff at the time, Morgan McSweeney, were told about Lord Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein, including how he stayed at the sex offender’s house while he was in jail, and how his appointment could be a “reputational risk”.
The files also showed how Jonathan Powell, the national security adviser, was worried about his appointment and described the process as “weirdly rushed”.
But when asked by Sky News’ Beth Rigby if he misled MPs about due process being followed, Sir Keir said: “No. And the independent adviser looked at that very question, I think on Thursday or Friday of last week, and answered it very robustly, that the process had been followed.”
He again blamed the process, saying it “wasn’t strong enough” and that he is making changes to the vetting process as a result.
The PM said among those changes will be the government not being allowed to announce who has got an ambassador job before the vetting process is finished.
Sir Keir sought to distance himself from the fact this happened with Mandelson, saying it “wasn’t an individual…
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