Sir Keir Starmer is expected to suffer a fresh knock back on Thursday in yet another explosive episode that is his handling of Peter Mandelson. Permanent secretary at the cabinet office, Cat Little will likely counter evidence already given by Olly Robbins at tomorrow's foreign affairs select committee.
Ms Little got her hands on Lord Mandelson's vetting report on March 25 and told the Prime Minister three weeks later, following legal advice, Steven Swinford of The Times reports. Posting on X Ms Little "has been at the heart of the Whitehall clash between the Foreign Office and the Cabinet Office.
"She obtained the vetting report on Lord Mandelson on March 25 and three weeks later, after taking extensive legal advice, informed the prime minister."
He continued: "She is said to have been frustrated in getting information for the Humble Address on Mandelson out of the Foreign Office Expect her to offer a counterpoint to the evidence provided by Robbins on Tuesday.
"She will also be fascinating on the next tranche of the Mandelson files."
Yesterday's testimony by former permanent under-secretary to the Foreign Office Olly Robbins, who resigned last week, increased the heat on Sir Keir.
The PM is facing calls to quit himself over the decision to appoint Mandelson, a scandal-tainted politician and friend of Jeffrey Epstein, to one of the UK’s most important diplomatic posts.
Robbins, the former top civil servant in the Foreign Office, said there was an “atmosphere of pressure” from Starmer’s 10 Downing St. office to approve the appointment so Mandelson could be in the post at the start of US President Donald Trump ’s second term.
Bookmaker Coral has cut Sir Keir Starmer's odds to 1-5 (from 1-3) to be replaced as the Labour leader and prime minister in 2026. Those odds suggest there is an 83.33% chance he will leave his role this year.
Angela Rayner is the 9-4 favourite to replace Starmer as the next Labour leader, Wes Streeting is 11-2, while Ed Miliband can be backed at 7-1.
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