A sacked vetting chief told MPs he faced “constant pressure” to clear Lord Mandelson for a proposed US ambassador role, saying there was a push to approve it before a presidential inauguration. The claim intensifies scrutiny of the PM’s handling of the process.

The PM condemned senior officials for not telling him Peter Mandelson failed security vetting before being lined up for a top role. He apologised again for the appointment. A sacked mandarin will give evidence to MPs, while No10 says it is refocusing on tackling the cost of living.

Britain’s crime crisis is costing taxpayers at least £33bn a year, around £90m a day, covering police probes, NHS care, court cases and victim support. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp says the bill has risen by £616m under Labour and accused Sir Keir Starmer of being soft on criminals.

Sir Keir Starmer joins the crew of a Vanguard-class nuclear sub returning to Scotland after a record 206-day patrol, thanking them for warding off threats from tyrants like Putin. In a separate exclusive, the PM says it was “unforgivable” he wasn’t told about the Mandelson vetting.