
Starmer was told to vet Mandelson first. So why didn’t he?
From The News Agents by Global
April 20, 2026 · 35 min
About this episode
The episode discusses the controversy surrounding Keir Starmer's failure to vet Peter Mandelson before his appointment, including advice he ignored from Simon Case.
Keir Starmer is still pleading his case before MPs. Should he have been told about the failed Mandelson vetting by Olly Robbins? Should he have asked? Who’s fault was it really that he didn’t find out until last Tuesday. And why, critically, did he ignore a letter of advice from then cabinet secretary Simon Case explicitly telling him to vet Mandelson BEFORE appointing him. We still have no clear answer… The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
Topics covered
- politics
- government
- vetting
- Keir Starmer
- Mandelson
- cabinet advice
Keywords
- Keir Starmer
- Mandelson
- vetting
- Simon Case
- politics
- government
- cabinet secretary
Sponsors
HSBC UK
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: The News Agents
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