The Huffington Post
Trevor Phillips on Sky News Trevor Phillips demolished Keir Starmer over the Peter Mandelson scandal as it threatens to bring down the prime minister. It was revealed this week that Mandelson failed security vetting before he was appointed to be the UK’s ambassador to the US. Starmer insists he was not told his pick for the top position did not pass vetting. The prime minister has since sacked the top civil servant in the Foreign Office, Olly Robbins, and publicly expressed his fury with Whitehall. Starmer is now facing fresh scrutiny about his future as the scandal brings the prime minister’s judgement into question. Sky News presenter Trevor Phillips tore into the prime minister as he continues to deny any knowledge of Mandelson’s security issues. While opening his Sunday morning show, Phillips said: “He [Starmer] chose Mandelson himself, in the teeth of opposition from the foreign secretary, his national security adviser, and from many in his cabinet. “He then defended that decision month after month. “He did so in full knowledge that his choice did business in Russia and China, had paled up with a convicted paedophile and stayed in the man’s home while he had been in jail. “It’s hard to imagine what more could possibly have emerged from the vetting process that could have changed his mind. “He could have chosen to ask more questions about the background of his candidate for the single most important diplomatic role this country has to offer. “After all, as a barrister, forensic questioning is supposed to be his core skill.” Phillips points out that he was appointed to public office three times under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, both of whom “took the trouble to speak to me personally”. But Starmer reportedly never spoke to Mandelson before giving him the top job, or asked him face-to-face about his links to Jeffrey Epstein. The PM himself has also admitted he never asked his advisers what the security team had discovered about Mandelson either. Touching on Starmer’s decision to sack Foreign Office chief Olly Robbins, Phillips said: “If you’re the boss, blaming the hired help won’t work. It never does.” “He gambled. And the gamble failed,” the Sky News presenter also said in a later interview with cabinet minister Liz Kendall. She claimed the prime minister is an “honest man” who has made the “right big calls” in office and would have cancelled Mandelson’s appointment if he had known about the vetting failure. The science and technology secretary said: “On the fundamental judgements facing this country, whether it’s on international issues, rebuilding our relationship with the EU, saying we won’t get involved in the war... investing in our defence. “Or whether it’s on domestic issues, lifting children out of poverty, tackling violence against women and girls – all of the big fundamental issues facing this country – the prime minister has made the right [calls].” Subscribe to Commons People , the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster. Related... Starmer's 'F****d': Labour In Turmoil As Mandelson Saga Threatens To Take Down PM (Again) 5 Pressing Questions For Starmer As Mandelson's Vetting Ignites Fresh Row Starmer Sacks Top Civil Servant In Foreign Office After Mandelson Row Returns
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