General · 21 April 2026
Mandelson's US role: No 10 pushed vetting, Cabinet Office said no
Peter Mandelson's appointment to Washington faced significant pressure for rapid approval from the Foreign Office. Sacked official Olly Robbins told MPs that Downing Street pressed for vetting updates, aiming for his placement before Donald Trump's second inauguration. The Cabinet Office, moreover, contended Mandelson, a peer, did not require vetting, given his House of Lords membership.
Reported by Guardian · How we write briefs