Foreign Office official Sir Philip Barton, who was at the very centre of the Lord Mandelson vetting process, will be questioned by MPs on the Foreign Affairs Select Committee this morning.
Sir Keir Starmer allies will fear that Sir Philip may contradict the Prime Minister’s claim that “no pressure existed whatsoever” on the Foreign Office to approve Mandelson’s appointment.
After Sir Philip’s evidence, Starmer’s former Chief of Staff, Morgan McSweeney, will give evidence to the same committee.
It is the beginning of a day of jeopardy for the Prime Minister, who later faces a vote on whether he should be referred to the privileges committee over claims he misled parliament about the appointment of Lord Peter Mandelson on at least two separate occasions.
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