UK undershoots annual borrowing target by £700m
The UK government’s budget figures reveal that annual borrowing fell short of the target by £700 million. However, the ongoing conflict involving Iran is expected to significantly impact Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s carefully planned fiscal "headroom" in the coming months. Tom Knowles provides further details on this development.
Top Cabinet Office official to give evidence to MPs about Peter Mandelson’s vetting
Good morning. As reported by Kiran Stacey, Pippa Crerar, and Jessica Elgot in ’s lead story, "Keir Starmer is looking increasingly isolated over his handling of the scandal with divisions emerging in cabinet over his decision to sack the Foreign Office civil servant Olly Robbins."
This morning, the saga continues with Cat Little, permanent secretary at the Cabinet Office, scheduled to give evidence to the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee regarding the controversy surrounding Peter Mandelson’s security vetting.
While the session with Cat Little is not expected to be as revealing as the Olly Robbins hearing on Tuesday, Little plays a pivotal role in this matter for two main reasons. First, as head of the Cabinet Office, she is responsible for collating all documents related to Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to the United States, including his communications with ministers and officials. These documents are to be published following a humble address passed by Parliament. It was in this capacity that she discovered the UK Security Vetting (UKSV) document indicating that UKSV officials who interviewed Mandelson for his developed vetting (DV) recommended that he should not be granted clearance. She reported this significant finding to the Prime Minister at a meeting last Tuesday. The following extract was released by No 10:
"Cat set out that the vetting process involved UKSV in the Cabinet Office producing a vetting file which included a recommendation on whether DV should be granted, which was then passed to the sponsor department, in this case FCDO. As part of the humble address process, that file had been shared with Cat. On reviewing the file she had therefore learned that the recommendation from the vetting officer had been that DV should not be granted to Peter Mandelson. There is some discretion for departments to proceed with clearance and the FCDO had exercised it in this case, granting Mandelson vetting clearance. Cat had not seen the audit trail for this decision so we did not yet know on what basis the decision had been taken, contrary to the recommendation."
Second, UKSV operates within the Cabinet Office, granting Little oversight of the entire vetting process.
After Keir Starmer became aware of this information and following its publication by , he dismissed Olly Robbins, the Foreign Office permanent secretary, on the basis that Robbins should have adhered to the UKSV advice regarding Mandelson or at least alerted No 10 to the concerns. Robbins, during his testimony on Tuesday, maintained that UKSV’s role is advisory only, with the final decision resting with the Foreign Office and its security team. He asserted that he was justified in concluding that the risks identified by UKSV could be managed.
Little’s testimony may clarify this dispute, although her position as a serving civil servant employed by the Prime Minister suggests she is unlikely to provide statements that would significantly embarrass him.
These hearings also offer insight into the operations of the British state. The Cabinet Office is central to the UK’s security infrastructure, and the DV process is among the most confidential components of this system. It would be unexpected if the session did not reveal some new information.
Here is the agenda for the day:
- 9.30am: Cat Little, permanent secretary at the Cabinet Office, gives evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee.
- 9.30am: The Office for National Statistics publishes crime figures for England and Wales.
- Morning: The Prime Minister is on a St George’s Day-related visit in the north-east.
- 11.30am: Downing Street holds a lobby briefing.
- Afternoon: Kemi Badenoch visits Pembrokeshire with Welsh Tory leader Darren Millar.
- Afternoon: Keir Starmer attends a military planning meeting at Northwood headquarters as part of the Strait of Hormuz coalition process.
- 4.30pm: Lord Hermer, the Attorney General, speaks at an Oxford University event alongside Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset.
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