Starmer Faces Vote on Mandelson Vetting Scandal

0:00On April 28, Kear Starmer is heading into a big test today with a commons vote on whether to refer him to the privileges committee over the Peter, Mendelssohn-Vetting scandal. Opposition leaders like Kemi-Badenock, plus Lib Dems, SNP, and Independence, table-to-motion. Labor's got a three-line whip in place, and they expect to crush it easily when the vote hits at 7pm. The action kicks off early with the Foreign Affairs Committee hearing from Philip Barton, ex-permanent secretary at the Foreign Office, starting at 9am. Then at 11am, Morgan McSweeney, Starmer's former chief of staff, takes the stand. Meanwhile, Starmer's chair and cabinet this morning, in a Middle East response meeting later. Starmer has been rallying his MPs, telling them to fight together ahead of this critical day for his premiership. Chief whip Jonathan Reynolds sounded confident last night, saying they'll vote it down no problem. It's all about holding the line against the opposition push. Much details dropped last night from a foreign office memo, answering committee questions.

1:01It covers Ian Collard, the security head back then, who briefed officials and recommended approving Mendelssohn's vetting, despite some risks, saying, they could be managed. Downing streets got a lobby briefing at noon. Bartonock opens the bait after 12.40pm, and peers tackle school bill amendments this afternoon. Starmer's counting votes, but today's really about owning the narrative in this political showdown.