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David Lammy has thrown his weight behind Sir Keir Starmer over the Mandelson vetting scandal, insisting the Prime Minister would never have appointed Lord Mandelson as US ambassador if he had known about the failed security vetting – but former Foreign Secretary James Cleverly says it is “inconceivable” that senior ministers were not told.
Lammy: Failure to Inform No 10 “Inexplicable”
The Deputy Prime Minister and former Foreign Secretary told The Guardian he has “absolutely no doubt” Starmer would never have made the appointment had he known. Lammy described the failure to inform Downing Street as “inexplicable” and revealed he first learned of the issue dramatically mid-flight while returning from the Middle East.
Lammy Denies Being Told About Vetting
Mr Lammy was emphatic: “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… so I would remember if this had ever been raised with me.” He spoke warmly of sacked permanent secretary Sir Olly Robbins, calling him “outstanding”.
Cleverly: “Just Not Credible”
Former Foreign Secretary James Cleverly directly contradicted Lammy, saying: “I cannot envisage a universe where someone senior in the Foreign Office wouldn’t have sat down with the foreign secretary and said something to warn about this.” He added that political appointments carry personal risk warnings and that Lammy “may have even more problems than Keir Starmer”.
- Lammy: Starmer would never have appointed Mandelson if he knew
- Lammy calls failure to inform No 10 “inexplicable”
- Cleverly: “Inconceivable” ministers were not told
- Lammy learned dramatically mid-flight
- Local elections set to be “tough” for Labour
Reform UK: Labour in Complete Chaos
Reform UK has led calls for Starmer’s resignation since the scandal broke. Nigel Farage described it as “blatant dishonesty” and a cover-up. The party says Lammy’s defence and Cleverly’s rebuttal expose deep divisions and incompetence at the heart of Labour.
What This Means for Britain
This latest twist shows Labour is tearing itself apart over a national security scandal while families face £2,000 energy bills and pensioners are forced back to work. With local elections weeks away, voters are seeing a Prime Minister who cannot command his own ministers or officials.
Reform UK offers the only real alternative: secure borders, strong leadership and putting British interests first. Enough of the excuses and cover-ups.
Share if you believe Starmer must resign over the Mandelson scandal.
This article is a factual summary of reporting by GB News. Full original story available on their website. All quotes directly attributed.
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