Swinney criticises Starmer’s ‘vacuum of leadership’ amid Mandelson row

Scotland’s First Minister has accused the Prime Minister of a “vacuum of leadership” as pressure on Sir Keir Starmer continues to mount.

Sir Keir has come under fire again over the hiring of Peter Mandelson after it emerged he had not passed vetting checks but had still been appointed US ambassador.

The Prime Minister fired Foreign Office chief Sir Olly Robbins over the issue, but Sir Olly told a Westminster committee this week there had been an “atmosphere of pressure” to get the appointment of Lord Mandelson over the line.

Speaking to journalists in Edinburgh on Wednesday, John Swinney accused Sir Keir of an “appalling vacuum of leadership”.

The First Minister said: “As I look at the evidence of Olly Robbins yesterday – and whatever the trials and tribulations, the bits and pieces in this whole farce about Mandelson’s appointment to the most prestigious ambassadorial role in the United Kingdom, it’s crystal clear that there was political impetus behind this to make it happen.

“That’s on Keir Starmer.”

He said the dismissal of Sir Olly was to “cover” the Prime Minister.

“This is a political decision and it should be owned by the Prime Minister,” Mr Swinney said.

“The only conclusion to that is the Prime Minister should resign.

“I think the Prime Minister’s leadership has been just weak and appalling.”

Asked if it would be in the best interests of the UK for the Prime Minister to quit at a time of heightened international tensions, Mr Swinney said Sir Keir had shown “completely flawed judgment” in his appointment of Lord Mandelson – who was fired after new revelations of his relationship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein came to light.

“I understand the point, because the world is a very volatile place, but I don’t think Keir Starmer’s judgment is particularly good in that context,” the First Minister said.

Appearing at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Sir Keir said he believed that full due process had been followed in the appointment of Lord Mandelson.

He added: “What I set out to the House on Monday is that Foreign Office officials granted security clearance to Mandelson against the recommendation of UK Security Vetting.

“Yesterday Sir Olly Robbins was asked if he shared that decision with me, Number 10 or any other ministers. He gave a clear answer. ‘No’. Mr Speaker, that puts to bed all the allegations levelled at me by those opposite in relation to this.

“Last week they were all saying that it must have been shared with me. Sir Olly was very clear yesterday, it was not. I believe not sharing it was a serious error of judgment.

“That information should have been shared with me and other ministers, and if it had have been, Mandelson would not have been committed to post.”

He said Sir Keir had “severely damaged” Scottish Labour’s chances in May’s Holyrood election.

“He’s proved a point that I’ve been making – that Labour governments are ineffective,” he said.

“They don’t work very well, we’ve been told ‘wait for a Labour Government at Westminster, everything will get better’.

“It’s appalling, it’s a shambles, it’s chaos, and bad decisions have been taken.”