Sir Olly Robbins dropped bombshell after bombshell when he spoke to MPs. Robbins, who was sacked as the Foreign Office’s chief civil servant, has accused Downing Street of placing the department under constant pressure to get Lord Mandelson through vetting. He also said the prime minister had tried to find an ambassadorial job for Matthew Doyle, another Labour peer who's been in trouble for a friendship with a paedophile. Where does it all leave Sir Keir Starmer?

Plus, we reveal when the next tranche of Mandelson files will be published.

• Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
• Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times
• Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times

Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson

Executive producer: Molly Guinness

Picture credit: Parliament TV

Clips: Parliament TV

This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.

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Yesterday evening Sir Keir Starmer defended himself in Parliament, stating ‘the facts are incredible,’ but ‘nobody’ in Number 10 knew that Peter Mandelson failed security vetting. Addressing MPs, the prime minister rejected the suggestion that the government’s desire to appoint Mandelson overrode security concerns. Immediately after, we caught up with the Times’ political editor to ask, who exactly knew what when? And how does this all end?

Mandelson denies any wrongdoing when it comes to his relationship with Epstein.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times

Host: Rosie Wright

Producers: Sophie McNulty, Olivia Case

We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com

Read more: Keir Starmer ‘put Mandelson job before security’, say Labour MPs

Further listening: Can Keir Starmer survive the scandal over Mandelson and Epstein?

Clips: Sky News, The Guardian, Keir Starmer - X, The Times, BBC

Photo: Getty Images.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jane Coates’ daughter Lucy was just 23 when she was shot and killed by her father, while visiting him in Texas. US authorities quickly ruled her death an accident and no charges were brought. But as The Sunday Times reveals holes in Lucy’s father’s account, Jane wants the case reopened.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest:

• Katie Tarrant, news reporter for The Sunday Times
• Jane Coates, victim’s mother
• Sam Littler, victim’s boyfriend and witness

Host: Manveen Rana

Producers: Julia Webster

We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com

Read more:

My daughter was shot dead by her father. Why wasn’t he arrested?

Father shot daughter dead after ‘arguing about Donald Trump

Photo: Picture provided by the family, graphic by Kathia Mestanza

This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.