Keir Starmer is set to face a challenging day as a former top official from the Foreign Office and his former chief-of-staff Morgan McSweeney are scheduled to provide testimony to Members of Parliament.
The Prime Minister will then confront a parliamentary showdown over potential referral to a sleaze inquiry, stemming from the Peter Mandelson controversy that continues to cast a shadow over Mr. Starmer. Reports revealed that vetting officials had advised against granting clearance to Mandelson before his appointment as ambassador to the US.
This morning, Sir Philip Barton, the former top civil servant at the Foreign Office, will appear before the Foreign Affairs Committee to address inquiries regarding potential pressures exerted by the Prime Minister’s office in advancing Mandelson’s ambassadorship. Last week, Sir Olly Robbins, Sir Barton’s successor who was dismissed for failing to inform the PM about the vetting issues, indicated that some government officials saw no necessity to vet Mandelson at all.
Following Sir Barton’s testimony, Mr. McSweeney, who resigned as Mr. Starmer’s top aide due to his involvement in the scandal, will be interrogated around 11 am.
A significant development is the granting of a vote by Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle on whether to refer the Prime Minister to the influential Privileges Committee, known for investigating Boris Johnson’s Partygate allegations. Despite the improbability of the motion passing due to Labour’s substantial majority, it poses a moment of risk for Mr. Starmer amid swirling speculations about his political future.
An important aspect to be clarified today is whether Morgan McSweeney instructed civil servants to expedite approvals. During the previous hearing, Sir Olly was questioned about Mr. McSweeney’s alleged directive to Sir Barton, both of whom will testify today.
Sir Olly’s prior testimony heightened pressure on the PM, suggesting that the Foreign Office was under intense pressure to expedite Mandelson’s appointment without proper vetting. He claimed that upon assuming office last January, Mandelson’s appointment had already been announced, and he had access to IT systems.
Furthermore, Sir Olly alleged that No10 displayed a dismissive attitude towards the vetting process, with the Cabinet Office questioning the necessity of vetting Mandelson for the sensitive role.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson refuted allegations of undue pressure exerted by No10 to facilitate Mandelson’s appointment, emphasizing the routine pressure of governmental operations. She criticized the Commons vote as a politically motivated move by the Tory party ahead of the local elections.
In a bid to rally Labour support, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown encouraged backing for Mr. Starmer against the motion. Mr. Starmer maintained transparency in his address to the Parliamentary Labour Party, denouncing the accusations against him as baseless and politically motivated.
The decision to appoint Peter Mandelson continues to loom over Keir Starmer, with a critical vote on a parliamentary sleaze inquiry expected today following testimonies from key figures involved in the controversy.