UK’s Starmer under fire over report Mandelson failed security vetting

Starmer not aware Foreign Office overruled Mandelson vetting decision until this week, government says

It follows a report Lord Mandelson failed his security vetting for the role of US ambassador but this was overruled by the Foreign Office.

Britain’s PM Starmer was not ‘aware’ security vetting for former UK ambassador to US was overruled - CNN

Macron and Starmer welcome Hormuz reopening and push for permanent navigation security - AP News

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipAFBVV95cUxPSFRBQzdqY3ZKaU05dHZnNEx4aGJvUlZhcVBMQ1lOXzN2Nk1GLWtsM3drbHhJRERLY2ZqYnhjVnFMX1B4WXUtTDAzYzNaQzlRcURpa1JWQTJ2SG5tRUQ3ZmJqOVNYWWRhampnSlFrc05heTJWUmNkWmRJOG5yQ2doaHhCS3YyUjBlalplZWt5SGdOMWdYcDFyNzZ5cWhsNEZXQlZWeA?oc=5" target="_blank">Macron and Starmer welcome Hormuz reopening and push for permanent navigation security</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">AP News</font>

France and UK to co-host Hormuz shipping security talks

France and Britain will co-host a video-conference Friday of countries ready to contribute to a "purely defensive mission" to secure the Strait of Hormuz, the French president's office said Tuesday. President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are to co-chair the meeting to discuss a plan to "restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz when security conditions allow it", it said.

Mauritius vows to ‘decolonise’ Chagos Islands after Starmer shelves handover

<p>Mauritian foreign minister pledges to ‘spare no effort’ to regain control of islands, as US fails to give approval of deal </p><p>A senior official in Mauritius’ government has vowed that the Chagos Islands will be “decolonised” after Keir Starmer was forced to shelve legislation to hand the islands back to Mauritius.</p><p>On Friday, UK government officials acknowledged that they had run out of time to pass legislation within the current parliamentary session, which ends in the coming weeks, after a lack of support from Donald Trump.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/12/mauritius-vows-decolonise-chagos-islands-starmer-shelves-handover">Continue reading...</a>

Louisiana Republicans move to eliminate court office won by exonerated man

<p>After Calvin Duncan served 28 years for a murder he didn’t commit, he won an election to serve as criminal court clerk. But now the office might be shut down</p><p>A man imprisoned for nearly 30 years before being exonerated won a landmark election in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/new-orleans">New Orleans</a> promising to fix a judicial system that failed him. Now, Louisiana’s governor, Jeff Landry, and the Republican-controlled state legislature are racing to eliminate his job before he can be sworn in.</p><p>Calvin Duncan won 68% of the vote last November to become the Orleans parish clerk of criminal court after pledging to reform the justice system based on his own experience fighting to access court records while in maximum security prison.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/11/calvin-duncan-new-orleans-criminal-court">Continue reading...</a>