Starmer strikes back over Mandelson vetting scandal

Starmer strikes back over Mandelson vetting scandal

From The Story by The Times

April 21, 2026 · 31 min

About this episode

Sir Keir Starmer defends himself in Parliament regarding the Peter Mandelson vetting scandal.

Yesterday evening Sir Keir Starmer defended himself in Parliament, stating ‘the facts are incredible,’ but ‘nobody’ in Number 10 knew that Peter Mandelson failed security vetting. Addressing MPs, the prime minister rejected the suggestion that the government’s desire to appoint Mandelson overrode security concerns. Immediately after, we caught up with the Times’ political editor to ask, who exactly knew what when? And how does this all end? Mandelson denies any wrongdoing when it comes to his relationship with Epstein.  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times Host: Rosie Wright Producers: Sophie McNulty, Olivia Case We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com Read more: Keir Starmer ‘put Mandelson job before security’, say Labour MPs Further listening: Can Keir Starmer survive the scandal over Mandelson and Epstein? Clips: Sky News, The Guardian, Keir Starmer - X, The Times, BBC Photo: Getty Images. This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited…

People in this episode

Guest: Steven Swinford

Topics covered

  • politics
  • security vetting
  • government accountability

Keywords

  • Keir Starmer
  • Peter Mandelson
  • Parliament
  • security concerns

Mentioned in this episode

Products: The Times, The Sunday Times

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