Summary
Overview
A discussion of the latest developments in the Peter Mandelson ambassadorship scandal, revealing that Mandelson failed the Cabinet Office's developed vetting process but was appointed anyway by the Foreign Office. The episode examines the serious implications for Prime Minister Keir Starmer's credibility, the firing of Foreign Office Permanent Secretary Ollie Robbins, and fundamental questions about competence and accountability in Number 10.
The Vetting Process Failure Revealed
Overnight revelations show that Peter Mandelson failed the Cabinet Office's developed vetting (DV) process for top secret clearance, but the Foreign Office decided to appoint him anyway. This creates a constitutional and political crisis as either ministers were informed and lied about it, or they weren't informed which suggests catastrophic incompetence. The developed vetting process is an intrusive security clearance that examines whether someone can be trusted with classified information and is vulnerable to leverage or blackmail.
- Peter Mandelson failed the Cabinet Office developed vetting process which determines clearance for top secret information
- The Foreign Office decided to appoint him anyway despite the vetting failure
- No ministers in Downing Street were reportedly told about this key vetting failure
- Foreign Office Permanent Secretary Ollie Robbins has been fired over the matter
- Developed vetting examines whether someone can keep secrets safe and is vulnerable to blackmail or leverage
" It is theoretically possible for the foreign office, in this case, the permanent secretary to take the advice and to overrule it. And so the claim is that Ollie Robbins who was the Sir Humphrey figure at the top of the Foreign Office received this advice saying Peter Mandelson had not passed the development, but decided that taking other things into consideration, he was still going to use his prerogative to appoint him as ambassador to Washington. "
" What is completely inconceivable is that the Prime Minister or Foreign Secretary didn't, at that stage, four months ago, say, okay, let's go through this with a fine-tooth comb and work out exactly what happened. I need to know all the information. What did happen? We're saying he passed the vetting. Did he pass the vetting? "
Credibility Crisis: Lying or Incompetence
Rory and Alistair explore the impossible position Keir Starmer finds himself in - either he knew about the vetting failure and has been lying to Parliament, or he genuinely didn't know which would make him 'the most incompetent prime minister I've ever heard of.' The discussion reveals a pattern of personnel disasters under Starmer's leadership including two chiefs of staff, three directors of communications, and two cabinet secretaries in less than two years.
- If Starmer didn't know about the vetting failure, he would be 'the most incompetent prime minister I've ever heard of in my life'
- Starmer has lost the deputy PM, two chiefs of staff, three directors of communications, and two cabinet secretaries in under two years
- The personnel disasters show 'a disinterest in key issues of personnel' where being absolutely sure of appointments is critical
- Unlike civil servants, MPs and ministers in the UK system are not vetted in the same way - they bypass the process entirely
" If Keir Starmer's not a liar he is the most incompetent prime minister I've ever heard of in my life "
" The crazy thing about our system is, unlike in America where they go through hearings and all that stuff, our MPs and ministers are not vetted in the same way. It's reserved for civil servants. "
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