Ex-FCDO chief tells MPs he had concerns over Mandelson’s Epstein links
Philip Barton says there was pressure over pace of vetting from No 10, which he says was ‘uninterested’ in process UK politics live – latest updates The former Foreign Office chief has said he was concerned about Peter Mandelson’s links to Jeffery Epstein – and said there was “absolutely” pressure from Downing Street over the pace of vetting. Giving evidence to the foreign affairs select committee, the former Foreign Office permanent secretary Sir Philip Barton said Number 10 seemed “unintereste
Starmer’s former chief of staff says he asked people to act quickly but not to skip steps in vetting process
• UK politics live – latest updates
Morgan McSweeney has admitted that Foreign Office officials came under intense pressure to expedite Peter Mandelson’s posting as UK ambassador to Washington, but denied they were forced to “skip steps” in security vetting to do so.
Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff, who resigned earlier this year over the scandal, acknowledged that he had asked the then top official at the department, Philip Barton, to conduct the process “at pace” but not to do anything “improper”.
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