Ed Davey: Simon Case should give evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee over Mandelson vetting

EMBARGO: Immediate Release

Liberal Democrat Leader, Ed Davey, has called for Simon Case, the former Cabinet Secretary to be summoned to give evidence before the Foreign Affairs Select Committee to discuss what advice he gave the Prime Minister regarding Peter Mandelson’s security clearances.

In the House of Commons this afternoon, Ed Davey asked the Prime Minister about Simon Case’s advice ‘that the necessary security clearances should be acquired before he confirmed his choice for US Ambassador’ however the Prime Minister failed to address this question and give an answer.

Liberal Democrat Leader, Ed Davey said:

“Simon Case advised the Prime Minister that Peter Mandelson should undergo proper security vetting before Keir Starmer announced him as US Ambassador, and it appears that advice was ignored.

“This is incredibly serious. It would mean that Keir Starmer not only failed to follow due process, but deliberately misled Parliament by claiming he had.

“Simon Case should be brought in to give his side of the story to Parliament, as the Prime Minister is clearly unable or unwilling to do so.”

ENDS