British Press Mocks Starmer Over Mandelson Scandal; Attal Faces Conflict Claims; Divorce Disputes Escalate Over Odd Items

British broadsheets and tabloids have mocked Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s address to the House of Commons in which he defended himself over the Peter Mandelson vetting scandal, describing his explanation as a “lame excuse.”

The criticism followed Starmer’s statement to MPs regarding the controversy surrounding Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador, which proceeded despite Mandelson failing the vetting process conducted by UK Security Vetting (UKSV).

Keir Starmer said he would make it ‘crystal clear’ to MPs that he was in the dark about Mandelson’s vetting failure.

The Guardian

The scandal emerged after The Guardian revealed that UKSV had decided against granting developed vetting to Mandelson, but the appointment went ahead following an overrule by top Foreign Office civil servant Sir Olly Robbins.

Robbins has since been sacked from his position and is expected to appear before MPs on Tuesday, April 22, 2026, in what could further threaten Starmer’s leadership.

Ministers spent the weekend attempting to shore up Starmer’s position after opposition leaders called for him to resign, arguing he would not have appointed Mandelson had he known about the vetting failure.

Senior government figures remain concerned that the situation could become make-or-break for the prime minister, despite his recent handling of the Iran crisis, should more damaging information emerge or if Labour MPs lose faith in his leadership.

One senior figure told The Guardian: “We just don’t know how it will all play out, but all roads lead back to the original sin: Keir’s decision to appoint Peter Mandelson to Washington even though everybody knew it was high risk. This week could go either way.”

The Mandelson appointment, which lasted from February 10 to September 11, 2025, has seen more time pass since his sacking than he spent in the role, yet new revelations continue to surface, keeping the scandal alive.