Starmer hits out at 'wrong' opponents amid alleged Cabinet split over handling of Mandelson vetting
Sir Keir avoided answering when pressed on reports of a split within the Cabinet
Sir Keir Starmer has accused his opponents for attempting to derail the government, insisting the "real divide is politics" although he stopped short of denying rumours of a split within his Cabinet.
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The Prime Minister's judgement has come under intense scrutiny in wake of revelations last week that Peter Mandelson failed security checks before he was appointed US ambassador, with Starmer unaware until last week.
There have been reports of a split within the Cabinet over the Prime Minister's decision to sack top Foreign Office chief Sir Olly Robbins last week, after it transpired his department had granted the peer security clearance for the role in January 2025, despite concerns raised in the vetting process.
Asked if he had considered quitting, the Prime Minister hit back that his critics were "opposed politically" to the government.
He told broadcasters in Newcastle earlier today: "I think it's very important to see what's going on here.
Read more: Starmer denies No10 put ‘pressure’ on civil service to appoint Mandelson despite him failing vetting
"Last week, my political opponents were saying that there's no way a civil servant wouldn't have told me about the outcome of a developed vetting security exercise. Turns out my political opponents were completely wrong about that.
"Then they said that I was dishonest. It turns out they were completely wrong about that. They are now putting any allegation they can and I will tell you for why - they are opposed politically to what this Government is trying to achieve."
Pointing to Labour's employment rights laws, investment in the NHS and the incoming new rules for landlords, he continued: "But my political opponents don't like that and so you have these allegations that keep on coming.
It comes after Sir Keir was pressed earlier today on whether there was a split within the Cabinet.
Avoiding answering directly, he stated: "The cabinet is working really hard on a huge amount of issues and what we’re delivering at the moment," he insisted.
"We're preparing for the King's Speech and all the further measures that we're going to need to take the country forward."
It comes after a top Cabinet Office official said she took the "unusual" step of requesting the documents relating to Mandelson's vetting checks directly from security officials after ex Foreign Office chief Sir Olly "refused".
Giving evidence to parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee today, Cat Little said she began gathering documents related to Lord Mandelson's appointment in February as part of a humble address process aimed at presenting detailed information to MPs about the process by which the peer became US ambassador.
The senior civil servant said the Foreign Office requested to see documents related to the vetting file, which were provided, but refused to hand the file to the Cabinet office leading Little to go directly to UK Security Vetting (UKSV).
The official told the committee she had “multiple discussions” with Sir Olly while trying to acquire the information, continuing: “In the middle of March, I have a meeting with Sir Olly and a senior member of his team, and this is after the point that I’ve been told that this summary document exists."
She said: "I specifically ask to see this document and any decision-making audit trail around those judgments at the time. It was made clear to me that that information would not be forthcoming.”
Asked by committee chairwoman Dame Emily Thornberry who was not forthcoming, the top Cabinet Office civil servant responded : “Sir Olly.” She added: "This was in the context of “a lot of back and forth discussion about the status of how we would treat vetting information”.
She also defended a three week delay before she handed the file to the Prime Minister, after she finally received a summary of the advice on 25 March, 2026, claiming she believed she was obligated to seek legal advice before hand due to the highly classified nature of the information.