Sir Keir Starmer told MPs it was "staggering" that he was not told Lord Peter Mandelson had failed vetting checks and acknowledged Parliament should have known about it "a long time ago".The Prime Minister said Foreign Office officials had approved Lord Mandelson's developed vetting status, enabling him to see secret information as ambassador to the US, despite the recommendation of security experts not to grant clearance.

Sir Keir Starmer told MPs it was "staggering" that he was not told Lord Peter Mandelson had failed vetting checks and acknowledged Parliament should have known about it "a long time ago".The Prime Minister said Foreign Office officials had approved Lord Mandelson's developed vetting status, enabling him to see secret information as ambassador to the US, despite the recommendation of security experts not to grant clearance.