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The Guardian Politics21 Apr 2026

Ed Miliband says he and Lammy feared Mandelson appointment could ‘blow up’

Energy secretary says both he and the then foreign secretary were worried making Mandelson US envoy was risky UK politics live – latest updates Ed Miliband and David Lammy discussed concerns about the appointment of Peter Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to Washington which they feared could “blow up”, the energy secretary has revealed. Miliband said he had spoken to Lammy, who was foreign secretary at the time Mandelson was given the Washington post, with both expressing reservations. Contin

Politics
The Guardian Politics21 Apr 2026

UK jobs market was in a fragile state – even before Iran war threatened recovery

Despite surprise fall in unemployment, weak wage growth and inflation pressures put the squeeze on workers UK unemployment shows surprise fall to 4.9% Business live – latest updates Despite a surprise fall in the unemployment rate, the latest jobs data show the labour market in a fragile state, even before the Iran war threatened to derail the UK’s nascent economic recovery. At 4.9% in the three months to February, the unemployment rate was down from 5.2% in the previous three months, accordi

EconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics21 Apr 2026

Sacked Foreign Office chief Olly Robbins to face MPs’ questions over Mandelson vetting – UK politics live

Robbins was forced out as Foreign Office permanent secretary over the Mandelson vetting revelations in the Guardian Donald Trump seems to be conducting his relationship with Keir Starmer chiefly by online trolling at the moment. He was at it again overnight, with a post on his Truth Social network saying that, when Starmer appointed Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US, it was a “really bad pick”. Good morning. At 9am Olly Robbins will give evidence to the Commons foreign affairs committee ab

Politics
The Guardian Politics21 Apr 2026

Labour’s great green energy plan could be a legacy as vital as the NHS | Polly Toynbee

Ed Miliband has a rare chance to do for the climate what Nye Bevan did for health: create something future generations will be proud of It looks unlikely that Labour will emerge as the largest party at the next general election (though it’s by no means impossible). If just one term is Labour’s destiny, what legacy will it leave behind? There is already in the making one great success that can’t be reversed, the transition to homegrown clean energy. This is a true “taking back control” escape fro

PoliticsEnvironmentHealthcare
The Guardian Politics21 Apr 2026

Starmer addresses the Mandelson vetting saga – podcast

Jonathan Freedland on what Keir Starmer said – and didn’t say – to the House of Commons about the Mandelson vetting failure “I think the whole Mandelson story, in a way, is an example of how much the Trump presidency has sort of wobbled and shaken the Starmer premiership,” Jonathan Freedland tells Helen Pidd. “And may in the end be responsible for the decision which ultimately costs this prime minister his job.” On Monday, Keir Starmer addressed the Commons on revelations in the Guardian that Pe

Politics
The Guardian Politics20 Apr 2026

Electricity generators threatened with higher windfall taxes in bid to ensure stable prices

Move marks government’s most radical attempt to weaken impact of soaring wholesale gas prices on electricity costs Clean energy generation exceeded rise in global electricity demand in 2025 Electricity generators will face higher windfall taxes unless they sign up to long-term fixed-price contracts under government plans to protect bill payers from future gas market price shocks, as the Iran war pushes up energy prices. The Treasury will increase a windfall tax on excess profits made by electr

EconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics20 Apr 2026

Judgment day for Starmer? – podcast

Keir Starmer has updated the House of Commons on what he knew, and when, in regard to Peter Mandelson’s vetting for the post of UK ambassador to the US. Was what the PM said enough to convince his party and the public that he should not resign? Continue reading...

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The Guardian Politics20 Apr 2026

Peter Mandelson: a timeline of his appointment as UK ambassador to the US

Keir Starmer details vetting procedure overruled by the FCDO and culminated in his decision to appoint Mandelson In a pivotal Commons statement to MPs on Monday, Keir Starmer laid out the most detailed timeline of Peter Mandelson’s appointment as the UK ambassador to the US, the vetting process which ended with the Foreign Office overruling the UK Security Vetting (UKSV) and what he said were chances to tell him that civil servants had failed to take. Continue reading...

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The Guardian Politics20 Apr 2026

Starmer accuses Robbins of obstructing truth about Mandelson vetting

PM admits he made mistake in choice of ambassador as he makes high-stakes statement to parliament over scandal Keir Starmer has accused Olly Robbins of deliberately and repeatedly obstructing the truth about the Mandelson vetting scandal before a high-jeopardy appearance of the sacked top official before MPs on Tuesday. Six days after the prime minister said he had learned that his pick for Washington ambassador had failed security vetting, Starmer admitted his decision to appoint him had been a

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The Guardian Politics20 Apr 2026

Mobile phones to be banned in schools in England under new plans

Government amendment to children’s wellbeing and schools bill to replace existing guidance with statutory ban A ban on mobile phones in schools in England is to be introduced by the government to ensure that “critical safeguarding legislation” is passed. The government will table an amendment to the children’s wellbeing and schools bill in the House of Lords after the bill was held up by peers on opposition benches. Continue reading...

PoliticsEducation
The Guardian Politics20 Apr 2026

Today, it fell to parliament to hold Keir Starmer to account for the Mandelson scandal. It largely failed | Toby Helm

On these occasions, MPs have a solemn duty to reflect the public’s anger and need for answers. A pity that so few seem able to fulfil it Around the time of Peter Mandelson’s appointment as the UK’s ambassador to Washington in late 2024, Nigel Farage, our possible next prime minister, said that while he “might disagree with Mandelson on his politics” he was “a very intelligent man”, who would be a good choice for the job. If the Tories raised objections at the time, they are not exactly seared to

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics20 Apr 2026

How safe is Starmer’s premiership after his Mandelson vetting statement to MPs?

Despite his explanation and the need for political stability, the PM is still unpopular – and Olly Robbins has yet to give his side of the story Labour MPs frustrated with the lack of a clear mission from Keir Starmer’s No 10 have often urged the prime minister to be more forceful in his arguments, to prosecute his values, to find an enemy to define himself against. The prime minister has found one: Olly Robbins. Starmer prosecuted his case against the former Foreign Office chief on Monday with

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