Starmer's Power Grab: Mandelson Scandal Escalates

0:00On April 17th, Kierstarmers gripping onto power in number 10 amid a messy scandal over Peter Mandelson's botched security vetting for the U.S. Ambassador gig. The Prime Minister is pinning it all on the Foreign Office's top dog, Ali Robbins, who got the boot last night after overruling security experts who said no to Mandelson's top level clearance. Turns out Mandelson was publicly tapped for the job first, then vetted later, and when U.K. security vetting flagged issues, foreign office officials rarely used their override power to push him through anyway. Starmers camp swears he had zero clue about the failure until Tuesday evening this week. Opposition voices are roaring, Kimi Botanox calling, Starmer a liar with no one left to sack, straight up demanding he resign. Lib Dem boss Ed Davy says, the buck stops at Downing Street, and even some labor MPs are whispering he can weather this storm, especially with moods souring fast and party ranks. Starmers ally Darren Jones hit the airwaves defending him, calling the whole mess beyond

1:03unacceptable and insisting no one misled Parliament. He confirmed the PM's dropping a statement to MPs on Monday, while Robbins had even approved a 75,000 pound payout to Mandelson as good, value before he bailed. As Starmer jets to Paris for that Middle East summit, the heat's only cranking up, with calls for accountability echoing louder than ever.