Keir Starmer shot back as he was asked by Kemi Badenoch and Green MP Dr Ellie Chowns if he was going to resign over the Peter Mandelson scandal – accusing the Tory leader of being ‘wrong, wrong, wrong’
Defiant Keir Starmer came swinging for critics who demanded he steps down over the Peter Mandelson scandal.
He lashed out at Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and Green MP Dr Ellie Chowns after they called for him to quit – saying his focus was on delivering for the country.
The Prime Minister is under growing pressure after sacking Foreign Office chief Sir Olly Robbins following revelations about Mandelson’s vetting. In a tense exchange at PMQs, Mrs Badenoch said the PM must “finally take responsibility and go”.
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Mr Starmer shot back that Mrs Badenoch had been “wrong, wrong, wrong” since the revelation that UK Security Vetting (UKSV) recommended against clearing Mandelson before he was sent to Washington.
The PM said: “Mr Speaker, the leader of the opposition claimed on Friday that Mandelson could not have been cleared against security advice. She was wrong about that.
“She said that ministers must have been told she was wrong about that. She claimed there was deliberate dishonesty. She was wrong about that. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
“She rushed to judgment, as she always did, just like the Iran war. Mr Speaker, I was elected by the British people because they let the country down for 14 long years.
“Whatever she says, whatever noise they make, nothing is going to distract me from delivering for our country.”
Mr Starmer has faced questions after previously telling the Commons that due process was followed over Mandelson’s appointment. It has since become clear that he was not informed of UKSV’s recommendation – but in an explosive evidence session on Tuesday Sir Olly said he was right not pass the information on.
In a furious exchange, the Tory leader had said: “Mr Speaker, I cannot accuse the Prime Minister of deliberately misleading the House, but everyone can see what has happened here. This was not due proces, everyone knows the price of misleading the house. Will the Prime Minister finally take responsibility and go.”
Speaking to the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday, Sir Olly claimed No10 had shown a “dismissive” attitude to Mandelson’s vetting. Dr Chowns told the Commons: “The Prime Minister appointed Mandelson in a desperate and doomed attempt to pander to Donald Trump, despite knowing about his friendship with the paedophile Epstein and his links to foreign states.
“The Prime Minister resisted and then took a dismissive and extraordinarily incurious attitude to vetting, compromising national security. And now he’s throwing the civil servant under the bus to save his own skin.
“All this from a Prime Minister who pledged to restore trust and integrity in government, but who has repeatedly betrayed the trust of voters and let the country down. Does the Prime Minister not recognise that the best thing he can do to restore trust and integrity is to take true responsibility and resign?”
Mr Starmer responded: “Let me just correct what she said. There was no dismissive attitude to developed vetting. I knew the post was subject to developed vetting.
“What didn’t happen was I was told of the UKSV recommendation. That was a serious error of judgment. Had I been told the appointment wouldn’t have gone ahead.”