Keir Starmer dodges sleaze probe as MPs reject investigation into whether he misled Commons over Mandelson

Sir Keir Starmer has dodged a sleaze probe into claims he misled Parliament over the appointment of Lord Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the US.

MPs rejected a Tory motion to refer the Prime Minister to the Commons Privileges Committee on Tuesday by 335 to 223 after Labour politicians were ordered to oppose the move .

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused Sir Keir of misleading the Commons by claiming “full due process” had been followed and “no pressure existed” in Lord Mandelson’s appointment.

Some Labour figures had branded Ms Badenoch’s call for an investigation a “political stunt”.

But others backed the investigation, with 15 Labour MPs rebelling against the Government by voting in favour of launching the probe.

Among them were London MPs Apsana Begum, who represents Poplar and Limehouse, and Hayes and Harlington MP John McDonnell.

The group broke ranks to criticise the Government for whipping its MPs to oppose the motion, and argued that Sir Keir should refer himself to the Privileges Committee to “clear his name”.

The Prime Minister has consistently denied misleading the House, leaning on the conclusion of former Cabinet secretary Sir Chris Wormald that “appropriate processes” were followed.

But earlier on Tuesday, former senior Foreign Office mandarin Sir Philip Barton declined to endorse Sir Keir’s assessment, saying it was for MPs to form their own view.

He told the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee it was unusual for the peer’s appointment to be announced before security vetting had been completed and suggested there was pressure to “get on with” approving Lord Mandelson’s developed vetting (DV).

Sir Philip told MPs that the Lord’s links to Epstein were a known “toxic hot potato” before he was handed the ambassador role and that Downing Street was “uninterested” in his security vetting.

Sir Keir’s former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney also gave evidence and insisted he did not “ask officials to ignore procedures, request that steps should be skipped, or communicate explicitly or implicitly that checks should be cleared at all costs” during the appointment of Lord Mandelson.

Mr McSweeney took responsibility for appointing the peer US ambassador as he apologised for his role in the scandal, saying Sir Keir had “relied on my advice and I got it wrong”.

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Sir Ed Davey accused the Prime Minister of cowardice after he ordered Labour MPs to vote against referring him for official investigation.

The Liberal Democrat leader said: “Starmer has ducked the scrutiny he should have faced by forcing Labour MPs to defend him.

What a cowardly way to govern.

“If he truly felt his conduct over the Mandelson scandal was up to scratch he should have undergone investigation by the Privileges Committee.”