John Swinney: ‘Incompetent’ Keir Starmer must resign

John Swinney has called for “incompetent” Keir Starmer to resign in the wake of the latest Peter Mandelson revelations.

The prime minister has said that it is “staggering” that he “was not told” that the disgraced ex-peer had failed security vetting before being appointed as UK ambassador to the USA.

Speaking to reporters in Paris, Starmer called the lack of notification to himself and other ministers “unforgivable” and said he was “absolutely furious about it”.

The Labour leader said he will make a statement to parliament about the matter on Monday to “set out all the relevant facts in true transparency”.

But Swinney has joined calls for Starmer to step down over the matter, which he said involves a “staggering level of incompetence”.

The SNP leader said: “You cannot have someone who’s incompetent being the prime minister, so I think the prime minister has to resign.”

Mandelson was sacked after seven months in the ambassadorial role over his links to late US financier Jeffery Epstein, a convicted paedophile.

In September, Starmer told parliament due process has been followed in the appointment.

But it has now emerged that Mandelson failed security vetting, a decision which was overturned by the Foreign Office to allow the appointment to go ahead.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, Zack Polanski of the Green Party of England and Wales, and Plaid Cymru head Rhun ap Iorwerth have also called for Starmer to go.

Lib Dem leader Ed Davey and Nigel Farage of Reform UK have also added to the political pressure.

Badenoch said it is “simply not possible” that the prime minister was unaware of the vetting outcome.

However, Starmer said: “I was not told that he failed security vetting. No minister was told that he failed security vetting, Number 10 wasn't told that he failed security vetting.”

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has said it is for “the UK Parliament to decide” if Starmer will still be prime minister on 7 May, when elections for the Scottish and Welsh parliaments and some English local authorities take place.

Sarwar broke with the PM to call for his resignation weeks ago. He said: “I’ve stated my position, I stand by my position, I don’t recoil from my position.”