Starmer ‘knew about Mandelson security red flags before appointment’

Downing Street is facing explosive claims that Sir Keir Starmer knew about the security concerns surrounding Lord Mandelson long before his appointment as US ambassador — and chose to proceed anyway. The Express understands senior Whitehall figures said the Prime Minister had been briefed on the risks that would ultimately lead vetting officials to block Mandelson’s clearance, undermining Sir Keir’s insistence that he was kept in the dark throughout. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT The concerns at the heart of the vetting failure related to Mandelson’s connections to Russia and China, which prompted UK Security Vetting officials to formally recommend against…