“They’re pleased to be in power,” said Sir Keir, speaking about what said was most Labour MPs.
“They’ve waited a long time to be in power. And they just want to get on with their job. They don’t make a lot of noise about it. They don’t talk to journalists about it. It’s really important that is reflected in these debates.”
He has faced calls from opposition parties to resign, and criticism from within his own party, after it emerged that UK security officials had flagged concerns about giving vetting clearance to his choice to be the UK’s ambassador the United States, Lord Mandelson.
Sir Keir told MPs this week that the security officials had recommended against vetting approval being granted but that had not been passed on to him.
Speaking to the Sunday Times he said he did not regret his decision last week to sack the most senior civil servant in the Foreign Office, Sir Olly Robbins, who had not informed him about the security vetting concerns.
“When there’s a double red flag not to give clearance and [showing] high concern, then I’m sorry. I’m sorry. But I do not accept the argument that that is something which should not be told to the prime minister,” Sir Keir said.
Sir Olly Robbins told MPs this week that he had not been told that there was a recommendation to deny Lord Mandelson security clearance, only that officials were “leaning against” it. Sir Olly decided to approve the vetting subject to mitigation being put in place.