Inside the room as Labour MPs give verdict on Keir Starmer's Mandelson statement

Inside the room as Labour MPs give verdict on Keir Starmer's Mandelson statementKeir Starmer delivered a Commons statement lasting more than two hours after it emerged Peter Mandelson failed security vetting for his appointment as Britain's Ambassador to the USCommentsNewsopinionSophie Huskisson Political Correspondent20:06, 20 Apr 2026View 2 ImagesLabour MPs listened to the PM's words intently as he explained he did not know Peter Mandelson failed security vetting(Image: House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA Wire)You could’ve heard a pin drop as Keir Starmer stood up in the Commons today.‌The words that came out of his mouth mattered. Since it emerged Peter Mandelson had failed security vetting last week, Labour MPs have been anxiously waiting for answers.‌While they were furious that the never-ending saga was once again dominating headlines, there appeared to be an indecision about how to react this time around.‌As the PM kicked off his statement, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Deputy PM David Lammy sat with steely expressions beside him, nodding along with his fury at Foreign Office officials for keeping crucial information from him.But it was the rows of Labour MPs behind - with their eyes and ears locked on him - who would determine how severe this blow could be for Mr Starmer.READ MORE: 10 major points as Keir Starmer says Peter Mandelson vetting scandal 'beggars belief'View 2 ImagesKeir Starmer mapped out the details of what happened in the lead up to Lord Mandelson’s appointment as Britain’s Ambassador to the US(Image: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)‌In the silent chamber, Mr Starmer mapped out the details of what happened in the lead up to Lord Mandelson’s appointment as Britain’s Ambassador to the US.The dates, the documents, the missing pieces - a sequence of events that led to government ministers not being told the Labour grandee had failed vetting. It was a process that Mr Starmer said “beggars belief”.He faced laughs and jeers from oppositi...