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A parliamentary inquiry into allegations that Sir Keir Starmer misled MPs regarding the vetting process for Lord Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador will not proceed. The House of Commons voted against a motion brought forward by the Conservative Party, with 335 MPs opposing and 223 supporting the proposal to launch an investigation.
The motion proposed by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch aimed to refer the Prime Minister’s statements about the ambassadorial appointment to the cross-party Privileges Committee, which oversees potential breaches of parliamentary rules. Badenoch argued that Sir Keir had misled Parliament by claiming the vetting had followed “full due process” and insisting that “no pressure whatsoever” was exerted on Foreign Office officials. The Ministerial Code requires ministers who knowingly mislead Parliament to resign, while inaccuracies resulting from error should be corrected promptly.
Within the Labour party, opinions were divided. Some left-wing MPs believed the Prime Minister should have voluntarily referred himself to the committee. However, a majority rejected the motion, reportedly after significant efforts by No 10 to secure unity. The division saw 14 Labour MPs break ranks in favour of the inquiry, with one recorded as formally abstaining. The fate of Labour MPs who defied the party whip remains uncertain. Support for the motion also came from members of smaller parties, including the Liberal Democrats, SNP, Greens, and others.
During the debate, South Shields MP Emma Lewell, one of the rebels, criticised the government’s handling, saying it appeared “out of touch and disconnected from the public mood” and that it created a damaging impression of a possible cover-up. She suggested Starmer should have proactively sought to clear his name by referring himself to the committee. Conversely, Labour MPs such as Gurinder Singh Josan and Alex Barros-Curtis defended the government’s approach, describing calls for the inquiry as premature given ongoing parliamentary scrutiny of the vetting process through other channels. The government also took steps to ensure key Labour MPs were present to vote by recalling campaigners from Scotland ahead of elections
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