MPs reject Conservative proposal over Mandelson
MPs voted 335-223 against the motion, meaning the government won by a majority of 112.
Key events
7h ago
A summary of today’s developments
7h ago
MPs reject Conservative proposal over Mandelson
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12h ago
Ed Davey joins Badenoch in saying Starmer should be referred to privileges committee
12h ago
Labour’s Nadia Whittome says she thinks Starmer may have misled MPs, and she will vote for inquiry
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Morgan McSweeney’s evidence to MPs – snap verdict
12h ago
McSweeney says No 10 has many messages that were on stolen phone – but he did use disappearing message feature
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McSweeney defends not telling police call handler he was PM’s chief of staff when he reported phone theft
13h ago
Badenoch accuses Labour MPs of acting like ‘sheep’ as she opens debate on referring PM to privileges committee
13h ago
McSweeney says he was ‘surprised’ Foreign Office did not get Epstein files material on Mandelson from US government
13h ago
McSweeney says George Osborne seen as ‘very credible’ candidate for US ambassador
13h ago
McSweeney says government officials under pressure to act quickly – but that’s not pressure ‘to lower standards’
13h ago
McSweeney says false claim he swore at officials has caused him ‘great deal of stress’
14h ago
McSweeney says he did not try to get Mandelson appointed as favour, or because he regarded him as ‘hero’
14h ago
McSweeney says he had no plan in place for Mandelson failing vetting
14h ago
McSweeney says Foreign Office just asked to consider possible diplomatic jobs that Matthew Doyle might want to apply for
14h ago
McSweeney says learning full details of Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein like having ‘knife through my soul’
14h ago
Mandelson was first person to suggest himself for US ambassador’s job, McSweeney claims
14h ago
McSweeney says Mandelson did not give him ‘full truth’ about Epstein – but PM thought vetting would resolve this
14h ago
McSweeney says Starmer would not have appointed Mandelson if all his other advisers had been opposed
14h ago
McSweeney says he does not recall asking if Mandelson could combine being ambassador with being Oxford chancellor
15h ago
McSweeney says Mandelson was confidant to him, but not a mentor
15h ago
McSweeney says he never told officials to ignore vetting procedures, or ensure Mandelson passed ‘at all costs
15h ago
Morgan McSweeney says advising Starmer to appoint Mandelson was ‘serious error of judgment’
15h ago
Philip Barton’s evidence to MPs – snap verdict
15h ago
Barton says Mandelson affair has damaged relations between ministers and civil servants
15h ago
Barton declines to say if he thought correct process followed when Olly Robbins sacked
15h ago
Barton says Mandelson’s appointment raised more red flags than any other he oversaw as Foreign Office chief
15h ago
Barton declines to back PM in saying ‘due process’ was followed in Mandelson appointment
16h ago
Barton backs Simon Case in saying Mandelson’s vetting should have happened before his appointment
16h ago
Barton says as permanent secretary he was sometimes told by No 10 not to share infomation with foreign secretary
16h ago
Barton says Foreign Office did not have plan for what to do if Mandelson’s security vetting refused
16h ago
Barton defends Mandelson having access to Foreign Office and briefings before security vetting approved
16h ago
Barton says he believes Olly Robbins and FCDO security chief when they say vetting decision not affected by pressure
16h ago
Barton says there was general pressure on Foreign Office, but not in relation to substance of vetting decision
16h ago
Barton rejects claims McSweeney swore at him when he wanted Foreign Office to approve Mandelson’s vetting
16h ago
Barton says he thought Mandelson’s links to Epstein would make his appointment as ambassador difficult
17h ago
Barton says he does not think his reservations about Mandelson contributed to his being asked to leave early
17h ago
Barton says he was told Cabinet Office initially suggested Mandelson would not need security vetting
17h ago
Barton says he was not consulted about Mandelson appointment – but suggests he should have been
17h ago
Former Foreign Office chief Philip Barton tells MPs leaving office 8 months early wasn’t his choice
17h ago
Top Foreign Office official ‘felt pressure’ for ‘rapid outcome’ on Mandelson vetting
17h ago
Keir Starmer to face vote on Mandelson vetting scandal as key figures give evidence to MPs
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A summary of today’s developments
Keir Starmer saw off an opposition bid to refer him to a standards committee over Peter Mandelson’s appointment. The government won the vote by 335 votes to 223, a majority of 112.
Peers have ended their stand-off with MPs over plans to curb social media for under-16s after the government agreed to introduce “age or functionality restrictions”.
After the Guardian’s story that the Treasury is considering imposing a one-year rent freeze on private sector homes to deal with the impact of the Iran war on household budgets, the PM’s spokesperson said: “We have no plans to implement this. Our focus remains on cutting bills and backing renters alongside lower energy prices.”
But, during Treasury questions in the Commons, Rachel Reeves did not rule out the idea. Asked if she would consider the case for a fixed-term rent freeze, Reeves said: “This government have already taken action to reduce the cost of living and to bear down on inflation with the changes around energy prices, around fuel duty, prescription charges and rail fares.
“And I will do everything in my power and use every lever we have to bear down on the cost of living, including for people in the private rented sector.”
Sir Christian Turner, who replaced Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US, privately told students in February that the Epstein scandal could bring down Keir Starmer. Turner’s comments have been reported by the Financial Times, which also says the diplomat told the students that the only country with which the US really has a special relationship is Israel.
Giving evidence to MPs, Morgan McSweeney, former Downing Street Chief of Staff, said learning the full extent of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein in September 2025 was like “having a knife through my soul”. McSweeney also accepted he was at fault in recommending Mandelson.
Starmer staves off mutiny over Mandelson mess… but for how long? – The LatestShare
Updated at 14.10 EDT
Ed Davey accused the PM of cowardice after he ordered Labour MPs to vote against referring him to the Privileges Committee.
The Liberal Democrat leader said: “Starmer has ducked the scrutiny he should have faced by forcing Labour MPs to defend him. What a cowardly way to govern.
“If he truly felt his conduct over the Mandelson scandal was up to scratch he should have undergone investigation by the Privileges Committee.
“The Liberal Democrats will always stand up for decency and honesty in politics – unlike this Prime Minister.”
In total, 15 Labour MPs went against the three-line whip and voted for the Conservative-led motion to subject the PM to an investigation by the Privileges Committee including Richard Burgon, Rebecca Long Bailey, former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, Andy McDonald and Brian Leishman.
Keir Starmer saw off an opposition bid to refer him to a standards committee over Peter Mandelson’s appointment after Downing Street deployed its full weight to force Labour MPs to shore up the prime minister, writes Ben Quinn and Yassin El-Moudden.
However, the Labour leader bore the brunt of anger from some of his own backbenchers who accused him of creating a situation where they would be perceieved as being complicit in “a cover-up.”
The vote – tabled by the Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch – was on whether the privileges committee should consider if the prime minister misled the Commons in relation to the disgraced peer taking the role of US ambassador.
While it united opposition parties including the Liberal Democrats, SNP, Reform and others, there will have been relief in the government that Labour figures such as Angela Rayner opted to keep their powder dry. The government won the vote by 335 votes to 223, a majority of 112.
Badenoch had opened the debate by accusing the Starmer of forcing his MPs to come out to assist him “to avoid scrutiny”.
“They are being whipped today to exonerate him before the facts have even been tested,” she added.
The Liberal Democrat leader, Ed Davey, likened Starmer’s response to the motion to that of Boris Johnson, when the then Conservative MP faced a similar vote that paved the way for an inquiry into whether he misled parliament over alleged breaches of lockdown rules.
“The prime minister called this motion a stunt, that is not why I put my name to it. But it’s funny though, because ‘stunt’ is exactly the same word Boris Johnson used about the motion the prime minister and I tabled four years ago, referring Boris Johnson to the privileges committee,” said Davey.
Closing the debate for the government, Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, said: “In recent weeks some have accused the prime minister of dishonesty saying there was no way that Foreign Office officials would have given Peter Mandelson clearance against the vetting agency’s recommendation let alone without checking with the prime minister himself.
Downing Street accused the Conservatives of resorting to a “desperate political stunt” after MPs rejected a bid to launch an inquiry into whether Keir Starmer misled the Commons over the appointment of Peter Mandelson.
A Number 10 spokesperson said: “This Labour Government is delivering for Britain including bringing down energy bills, cutting hospital waiting lists and lifting half a million children out of poverty.
“The Conservative Party resorted to this desperate political stunt the week before the May elections because they have no answers on the cost of living or the NHS.
“We will continue to engage with the two parliamentary processes that are running on Peter Mandelson’s appointment with full transparency.”
MPs voting on whether to refer Keir Starmer to the Privileges Committee were heckled as they did so, Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said.
Speaking after giving the voting figures, Hoyle said: “Can I just say, a member of Parliament has been to complain to me, and another member.
“When other members are shouting ‘shame’ when they’re voting, it is not acceptable and it will not be tolerated.”
He urged those responsible to apologise to those they had shouted at.
ShareMPs reject Conservative proposal over Mandelson
MPs voted 335-223 against the motion, meaning the government won by a majority of 112.
After a lively debate, MPs are now exiting to vote on whether or not Keir Starmer should face a parliamentary inquiry into allegations that he misled the House and be referred to the Privileges Committee over his comments around the vetting of Peter Mandelson.
The result is expected at 6.30pm.
Darren Jones said Starmer is not in the Commons currently as he is chairing the Middle East response committee.
He also accuses the Conservatives of “distraction, distraction, distraction” over the motion being debated.
Darren Jones repeats there was no pressure put on officials over the Mandelson appointment not to have him vetted.
He also cites Boris Johnson initially denying attending parties during the pandemic in 2020 when it later emerged he had done so and was fined by police.