Foreign Office officials overruled a recommendation from the government's vetting agency regarding Lord Mandelson's appointment as British ambassador to the United States, according to government sources.

Lord Mandelson was reportedly initially denied security clearance in January 2025, weeks after Prime Minister Keir Starmer had officially announced his appointment to the Washington post. The vetting agency's initial assessment was subsequently overturned by Foreign Office officials.

A government spokesperson said the decision to go against the vetting agency's recommendation was taken by officials within the Foreign Office. The spokesperson indicated that Starmer was not aware of the overruling until this week.

The timeline suggests a gap between the public announcement of Mandelson's appointment and the resolution of security clearance issues. Mandelson, a veteran Labour politician and former European Commissioner, was named to the high-profile diplomatic position as part of Starmer's government appointments.

The incident raises questions about the coordination between different government departments on sensitive appointments and the protocols surrounding security vetting for senior diplomatic positions. The US ambassadorship is considered one of Britain's most important diplomatic postings.