What is Developed Vetting security clearance at centre of Mandelson row?

What is Developed Vetting security clearance at centre of Mandelson row?14 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleBecky Morton,political reporter,Paul Seddon,political reporterandSean SeddonReutersLord Mandelson was appointed as the UK's ambassador in Washington in December 2024It has emerged that Peter Mandelson was granted a security clearance by the Foreign Office against the recommendation of the government's vetting agency when he was made US ambassador. The government is under intense pressure to explain how Mandelson came to be granted Developed Vetting (DV) status, which is needed to view top secret government material, despite concerns flagged during his screening process. Mandelson was appointed as the UK's ambassador to Washington in December 2024, before being removed last September when further information about his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein came to light.What is a Developed Vetting security check?Mandelson, as with any official whose work is likely to involve having access to top secret material, underwent a process called Developed Vetting during his appointment process.It is the most intrusive process employed by the government for those required to access sensitive material and be granted the highest level of security clearance.It is carried out by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV), a specialist agency within the Cabinet Office, and applies to thousands of relatively junior officials working in government departments and overseas, as well as senior figures like Mandelson.The process is designed to identify whether people applying for government jobs pose a security risk, either because they might seek to abuse their position, or because their personal lives make them a potential blackmail target - for example, if they are in high levels of debt or are having an affair.In practice, it means candidates have to fill out various questionnaires, including being asked to provide detailed information about th...