A high-ranking government official is under scrutiny regarding the vetting process of Lord Peter Mandelson, increasing pressure on Keir Starmer over the decision.
Cat Little, the top Cabinet Office official, is set to testify before the Foreign Affairs Committee regarding how the controversial peer obtained clearance.
Last week, the Prime Minister dismissed Sir Olly Robbins after learning that the Foreign Office had dispatched Lord Mandelson to Washington without informing him, despite security concerns raised during the vetting process.
In a hearing on Tuesday, the senior official defended his decision not to disclose the information, criticizing No10 for a lackadaisical attitude towards vetting and alleging that there was undue pressure to expedite the appointment.
Little clarified to the Committee that she had no involvement in appointing Lord Mandelson, noting that while departments sought advice from each other, it was uncommon but not unheard of for a political appointee to assume an ambassadorial role.
Regarding the ongoing controversy, a minister dismissed claims of a Cabinet division, labeling them as baseless rumors and affirming Cabinet unity and focus on their duties.
Meanwhile, Morgan McSweeney, a former top aide to Keir Starmer, is scheduled to appear before MPs next week as the Prime Minister grapples with fallout from the Mandelson debacle. McSweeney resigned in February, taking full responsibility for advising the PM on the appointment, amidst public outcry over Mandelson’s connections to Jeffrey Epstein.
Today, senior civil servant Cat Little will face queries regarding Lord Peter Mandelson’s vetting process, as scrutiny mounts on Keir Starmer over the decision. Little will address the Foreign Affairs Committee to shed light on how the embattled peer obtained clearance.