Senior civil servants knew weeks ago that Mandelson had failed security vetting

At least two senior civil servants knew weeks ago that Peter Mandelson had failed security vetting for his US ambassador role, Sky News understands.

But they did not pass over the information to the prime minister because they were waiting for legal checks on what information could be released, according to a Cabinet Office spokesperson.

Cabinet secretary Antonia Romeo and cabinet office permanent secretary Catherine Little were both present at a meeting between Sir Keir Starmer and senior civil servants on Tuesday night, when the prime minister was finally told about Lord Mandelson's failure to pass vetting.

The spokesperson said: "Senior officials in the Cabinet Office did the right thing and took urgent steps to ensure they could update the prime minister.

"On receipt of the UK security vetting information, the permanent secretary of the Cabinet Office rapidly sought legal and other advice to be in a sound position to share the document, or the fact of it, with the prime minister. She updated the cabinet secretary who agreed with the approach.

"As soon as these checks were conducted, the prime minister was informed."

The Foreign Office has been blamed for clearing the peer in January 2025 to start as US ambassador, despite him failing the secure vetting process.

The department's chief civil servant Sir Olly Robbins was sacked on Thursday night after Sir Keir and foreign secretary Yvette Cooper lost confidence in him over the scandal.

The prime minister was "not aware" there was a recommendation against giving Lord Mandelson security clearance for the ambassador role - which was overruled by the Foreign Office, according to a document produced by Number 10.

He was only told of the advice on Tuesday.

Sir Keir said he will "set out all the relevant facts in true transparency" to parliament on Monday.

The prime minister on Friday said he was "absolutely furious" and it was "staggering" that he had not been informed the vetting process was overruled to clear Lord Mandelson for the ambassador posting.

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"I was not told that he had failed security vetting, no minister was told... Number 10 wasn't told, that is completely unacceptable," he said.

Criticising officials, the PM said: "It is totally unacceptable that the prime minister making an appointment is not told that security vetting has been failed."

Sir Keir is not resigning or considering his position, No 10 also said on Friday.

Ms Cooper only found out Lord Mandelson failed security vetting on Thursday after being approached by journalists, Sky News understands.

Sir Olly has been invited to speak to the Foreign Affairs Committee as early as next Tuesday.

The opposition party leaders have all called for Sir Keir to resign over the latest revelations, with Kemi Badenoch, for the Conservatives, arguing the prime minister had misled parliament and the public.

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn called on the prime minister to "do the decent thing and resign".

He suggested Sir Keir is "either incompetent, gullible or a liar".

Lord Mandelson was sacked from his Washington role last September when more details emerged about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, who died in 2019.

The ex-Labour cabinet minister has previously denied any wrongdoing over his relationship with the paedophile financier and has apologised to Epstein's victims.

Sir Keir was already facing heavy criticism over the decision to hand Lord Mandelson the position, despite it being known that his dealings with Epstein continued after the billionaire's conviction for child sex offences.

(c) Sky News 2026: Senior civil servants knew weeks ago that Mandelson had failed security vetting