Starmer's Mandelson Mess: Robbins Out, Audit In

0:00On April 17, the U.K.'s top diplomat, Ali Robbins, got the boot last night from Prime Minister Kier Starmer, who was furious about not being told. Peter Mandelson failed security checks for the U.S. Ambassador job. Mandelson, a key new labor figure, still got the nod back in February of last year, but was yanked later over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein and handed. A 75,000-pound payoff, something Robbins himself recommended. Darren Jones, the PM's close ally, hit the airwaves this morning, defending the move, admitting processes were followed but slamming the foreign office. For not flagging the ignored vetting advice to Starmer or the foreign secretary, Jones suspended those override rights right away and called for an urgent audit to tighten things up. Reactions are pouring in, with Robbins' allies saying he won't play fall guy for ministers, and reform U.K.'s Nigel Farage, calling him one of the sharpest civil servants around, blasting Starmer's claim as straight up dishonesty. This as the Starmer's trail of top

1:01officials shone the door, like chief of staff Morgan McSweeney and comms director Tim Allen, both out in February, plus cabinet secretary Chris Wormald with a £260,000 exit package. Earlier testimony from Robbins to the Foreign Affairs Committee painted Starmer as the driver behind pushing Mandelson through, despite preferences, for someone else. Now the committees called him back to testify on Tuesday, as questions swirl over his £240,000 salary, and whether he'll get a. Fat severance like the others. All eyes on that hearing, as this Mandelson mess keeps costing the government talent, cash, and trust. Watch how Starmer spins the fall out from here.