Home Office minister Mike Tapp has doubled down on Starmer’s oblique blame of the security and vetting officials who quizzed Mandelson prior to his appointment as ambassador. Cowardly – they won’t like that…
Speaking on Sky News Tapp said:
“He wasn’t the vetting officer here… We do know that there were lies told during that vetting procedure. Now that’s not me saying putting any blame on anybody else. The government ultimately oversees this and makes the decision. And that’s why the apology is really important. And when we see the information laid out for the public, of course, we have to act on that and ensure that nothing like this can ever happen again… what we’ve got to bear in mind is that the apology Keir Starmer has given is that he was clearly lied to during that vetting process. And I trust that I trust the prime minister. Let’s see what comes out from the documents. I think transparency is vital government and that’s what we’re getting from this government.”
Tapp also laughably claimed Starmer had acted “quickly on this.” It’s always someone else’s fault – until it isn’t…
Speaking at his press conference on the Pride in Place programme which was obviously all about Mandelson, Starmer said:
“Tomorrow’s front pages are unlikely to be about the Pride in Place programme.”