Calls for United Kingdom Prime Minister Kier Starmer to resign have begun to rise following a string of revelations about how the former Ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson was appointed.
If that was not enough for the PM, local Elections are in two weeks, and support for Labour is plummeting in polls even in ruby red London.
The former Permanent Secretary at the Foreign Office Olly Robbins testified before the foreign affairs select committee about the decision he took to overrule UK Security Vetting about appointing Mandelson.
'The position taken from the Cabinet Office was that there was no need to vet Mandelson, as he was a member of the House of Lords, he was a privy councillor [and] the risks attending his appointment were well known and had been made clear to the prime minister before appointment,' Robbins said.
'In the end, the Foreign Office insisted and put its foot down,' he continued.
Revelations are now coming out about cabinet ministers having doubts about appointing Mandelson.
Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, also revealed that he had concerns at the time that Mandelson's appointment would 'blow up' and disclosed that Lammy had concerns about Starmer's decision too.
'I had a conversation with David Lammy about it before the appointment and I said I was worried about it ... I think he was worried about it too,' Miliband told Sky News.
Sir Richard Dearlove, the former MI6 chief, said the decision to appoint Mandelson was 'completely inappropriate' and said Downing Street must take primary responsibility for proceeding with the appointment despite known risks.
'The primary fault lies with No 10 in announcing the appointment... not making it conditional when they must have known very clearly Mandelson's reputation and the sort of skeletons in his cupboard,' he said.
Source: International Business Times UK
