News

Starmer faces Commons showdown over Mandelson vetting row

Published

2 months ago

April 27, 2026

PRIME MINISTER ACCUSED OF MISLEADING PARLIAMENT OVER AMBASSADOR APPOINTMENT

SIR KEIR STARMER is facing a Commons vote over whether he should be investigated for allegedly misleading Parliament about the vetting of Lord Mandelson.

MPs are due to debate on Tuesday whether the Prime Minister should be referred to the powerful Commons Privileges Committee, which investigates claims that MPs have broken parliamentary rules.

The row centres on Sir Keir’s statements that “full due process” was followed when Lord Mandelson was appointed as Britain’s ambassador to the United States, and that there had been “no pressure whatsoever” on Foreign Office officials involved in the process.

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has agreed to allow the debate after requests from a number of MPs, including Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch. He stressed that his decision did not amount to a judgment on whether the Prime Minister had done anything wrong.

Lord Mandelson was later sacked from the Washington post following renewed scrutiny of his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The appointment has since become a major political headache for Sir Keir, with questions over whether the vetting process was rushed and whether officials were put under pressure to approve the appointment.

Sir Olly Robbins, the former senior civil servant at the Foreign Office, told MPs last week that there had been “constant pressure”, although he said it did not affect his decision to approve Lord Mandelson’s security clearance.

Sir Keir has denied misleading Parliament and has sought to draw a distinction between improper pressure and the ordinary pressure of government to get things done quickly.

Downing Street dismissed the move as “a desperate political stunt by the Conservative Party” ahead of the May elections.

A No 10 spokesperson said the Government was already co-operating with parliamentary processes looking into Lord Mandelson’s appointment, adding that the Conservatives had “no answers on the cost of living or the NHS”.

Mrs Badenoch accused Sir Keir of misleading Parliament “multiple times” and urged Labour MPs to “look into their consciences” before voting.

The Liberal Democrats, Reform UK and the Greens have also indicated support for an inquiry.

However, Labour’s large Commons majority means the motion is unlikely to pass unless a significant number of Labour MPs rebel or abstain.

If the matter is referred to the Privileges Committee, it could examine whether Sir Keir knowingly misled MPs or failed to correct the record quickly enough.

The Ministerial Code states that ministers who knowingly mislead Parliament are expected to resign, while inadvertent errors should be corrected at the earliest opportunity.

Crime

Dog owner admits causing suffering to pet with untreated skin disease

Published

4 hours ago

June 11, 2026

Staff Writer

Collie cross German Shepherd left suffering after illness went unaddressed, court told
A CARMARTHEN man has admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a dog after failing to properly address a serious skin condition.

David Allen Murphy, aged 40, of Quay Street, Carmarthen, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Jun 11) after previously pleading guilty to an offence under the Animal Welfare Act.

The court heard that between November 28 and December 28, 2025, Murphy caused unnecessary suffering to a Collie Cross German Shepherd dog named Cora by failing to adequately investigate and address the animal’s skin disease.

Prosecuted by the RSPCA, the charge stated that Murphy either knew, or ought reasonably to have known, that failing to deal with the condition would likely cause suffering to the dog.

Murphy, of Flat 2, 12 Quay Street, entered a guilty plea on May 21.

The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared, with magistrates remanding Murphy on unconditional bail.

He is due to return to Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, July 23, at 10:00am for sentencing.

Business

Welsh Conservatives demand answers over Tata Steel furnace delays

Published

5 hours ago

June 11, 2026

Tom Sinclair

WELSH CONSERVATIVES have called on the Welsh Government to explain who knew what, and when, about reported delays to Tata Steel’s new electric arc furnace at Port Talbot.

Shadow Economy, Energy and Planning Minister Janet Finch-Saunders MS raised the issue in the Senedd during an emergency statement following the recent fire at the steelworks.

While much of the focus has been on the fire, reports have suggested that separate concerns about delays to the electric arc furnace may have been known for several weeks.

It was reported on June 7 that Tata Steel had discussed potential delays linked to National Grid connectivity issues with “investors” during a conference call around a month earlier.

Mrs Finch-Saunders is now seeking clarity on whether those investors included the UK Government, which is investing £500m towards the £1.25bn project.

The previous UK Conservative Government also established an £80m transition fund to support workers at risk of losing their jobs. The Welsh Conservatives say they want clarification on whether any of that funding remains available if delays create further financial pressure for affected workers.

Mrs Finch-Saunders said: “If UK Government Ministers were aware of the issue a month ago, were Welsh Government Ministers informed?

“If Welsh Government Ministers were not informed, why not? If they were informed, why did the Economy Minister tell the Senedd that he only became aware of the delay on Monday?

“We now need a clear timeline setting out exactly when concerns first emerged and who was told.

“Port Talbot workers and their families deserve answers.”