This BBC Newscast episode covers the controversy surrounding Lord Mandelson's failed security vetting for the position of US ambassador. The Prime Minister has stated that he only became aware of the failed vetting earlier in the week. Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer is under pressure to resign following accusations that he misled Parliament by asserting that the appointment process was fully compliant with established procedures.
The issue surfaced after The Guardian revealed that Lord Mandelson was initially denied security clearance in late January 2025. However, the Foreign Office chose to override this decision to proceed with the appointment. The podcast discusses the timeline of events and questions who had knowledge of the vetting failure and when this information was known within government circles.