Keir Starmer says it is unforgivable he was not told Mandelson failed vetting

PM says he is ‘furious’ and did not know security officials had recommended that Mandelson be denied clearance

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Keir Starmer has said it was “unforgivable” that he was not told that Peter Mandelson had failed his security vetting before being appointed as ambassador to Washington.

The prime minister said he was “furious” about what had happened, as he insisted he had not known that security officials had initially recommended that Mandelson be denied clearance.