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Key points from Starmer's Mandelson statement

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Sir Keir Starmer has been in the Commons again, defending his actions over the appointment of Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the US.

It comes after it emerged the peer was given security clearance for the role in January 2025, against the recommendation of officials who vetted him.

He formally took up the role the following month, and was sacked seven months later over his ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The prime minister had many angry words for the Foreign Office, the department that authorised Lord Mandelson's clearance despite the vetting concerns from security officials.

He said the department's officials should have informed him at the time – and then missed "repeated occasions" afterwards to make him aware, including when the UK's then former top civil servant investigated Lord Mandelson's sacking last year.

The repeated failure to divulge the result of Lord Mandelson's vetting process was "incredible", "staggering" and "astonishing", the prime minister said.

And he went further, saying there had also been a "deliberate decision" to withhold information about the vetting process from MPs who had previously conducted an inquiry into Lord Mandelson's sacking.

The vetting process involves asking applicants deliberately intrusive questions about things such as their finances, sexual history, health and family.

Sir Keir said he accepted that information gathered during this process – including from two interviews held with Lord Mandelson – should not be divulged.

But he added that, in his opinion, there was no reason why the overall vetting recommendation could not have been shared with him.

He suggested that this was a key point of difference between him and Sir Olly Robbins, the former top civil servant at the Foreign Office at the time, who was effectively sacked last week.

"He took the view this process did not allow him to disclose to me the recommendation," the prime minister said, whilst adding that he "should have provided this information to me".

Sir Olly is due to give his side of the story on Tuesday when he appears before a Commons committee – and his response to this point will be closely watched.

A key accusation from opposition parties is that Sir Keir misled MPs last year when he told the Commons that "full due process" had been followed during Lord Mandelson's appointment.

This is politically significant – because the government rulebook says ministers should not "knowingly mislead" Parliament.

Asked whether he might have inadvertently misled the Commons about what happened, he replied "no".

He said he accepted that MPs, like him, should have been given more information, but added: "I did not mislead the House".

The prime minister revealed that he has ordered a review of "any security concerns raised" during Lord Mandelson's time as ambassador.

Sir Keir confirmed that the peer had access to the highest level of secret material during his time in Washington.

He told MPs the review would be conducted by the Government Security Group, a unit within the Cabinet Office.

This is separate to another review, being led by retired judge Sir Adrian Fulford, into the wider national security vetting system.

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Victory slips away as marathon runner celebrates too soon

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A dramatic finish at the Delaware Marathon on 19 April saw Joshua Jackson snatch victory in the final moment overtaking leader Carson Mello by less than a second. Mello, thinking a win was guaranteed, slowed in celebration before Jackson's powerful late surge sealed the win.

The BBC spent time with the Canadian military in the country's northernmost region – this is what they taught us about dealing with extreme conditions.

The crew held its first press conference since splashing down from their historic 10-day trip.

The BBC rode along with the Rangers on the last leg of a historic trek as they assert their presence in Canada's far north.

The Canadian prime minister joined the Ottawa Charge team on the rink alongside the Finnish president during his first formal bilateral visit.

The implosion of the former Mandarin Oriental will make way for an even larger building on the property.

The four astronauts flew around the Moon in a nine-day voyage that took them further from Earth than any humans in history.

The four crew members of the Artemis II are back on Earth after their 10-day mission to the Moon.

The first lady denied connections to the late convicted sex offender, telling reporters any claims linking the two "need to end".

No injuries were reported after the blaze tore through a massive warehouse where toilet paper and paper towels were stored.

One of the world's most active volcanoes has been erupting on and off since December 2024.

The Artemis crew will return to Earth on 10 April after a 10-day mission that took them around the Moon.

The Orion spacecraft is scheduled to bring the Artemis II crew back to Earth on 10 April.

Watch the first lady's full statement from the White House as she addresses her links to the late sex offender.

The Orion spacecraft is expected to splash down off the coast of San Diego on 10 April.

Jeremy Hansen received a call from the prime minister as Canada's first astronaut to travel into deep space as part of the Artemis II mission.

The BBC’s Science Editor Rebecca Morelle has spoken to the Artemis II crew ahead of their likely splashdown on Saturday.

Jasveen Sangha was sentenced to 15 years in prison for selling drugs that led to the death of Friends actor Matthew Perry.

Rex Heuermann has pled guilty in the murder of eight women killed between 1993 and 2010 on Long Island.

Police were called when a homeowner found a nine-foot alligator in the pool area of his Tampa residence. A specialist later removed the animal.

The four astronauts in the Orion spacecraft set a new record for distance travelled from Earth.

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'Huge relief' as students given loans 'in error' get repayment reprieve

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Around 22,000 university students who were told they would have to urgently repay maintenance loans and childcare grants that were given to them in error have been given a reprieve.

The government has announced that the affected loans will be repaid through the usual student finance route, and repayments on grants are paused until "at least" September.

It follows a row in which weekend students were told their courses had never been eligible for student finance and should instead have been classed as distance learning.

The National Union of Students said the decision came as a "huge relief", and that not having to start repaying within months will have taken "pressure off their mental health".

It's just two weeks since students, including some on nursing or teaching courses, were suddenly told they had never been entitled to maintenance loans and childcare grants, and would have to repay them on an "accelerated timescale".

The Student Loans Company (SLC) had been instructed by ministers to make clear to universities that courses delivered at the weekend, some including online components, should have been classed as distance learning.

The regulations had been in place since 2011, according to the government, which blamed universities for not being clear through either "incompetence or abuse of the system".

In the House of Commons, MP Josh MacAlister said the government had asked the SLC to "collect any over-payments through normal student finance repayments, and to pause recoveries of overpaid grants until at least September".

The SLC said it would be contacting students "to explain what this means for them and what the next steps are, including their eligibility and entitlement, as well as confirming the repayment process".

"We are also continuing to work with providers who are in the process of correctly classifying courses," a spokesperson added.

Student finance repayments for loans taken out after 2023 in England are 9% of any earnings above a threshold of £25,000 a year. Loan terms vary depending on when and where in the UK they were taken out.

Some students faced having to find tens of thousands of pounds to urgently repay, with the government saying it was up to the universities involved, and their franchise colleges, to make sure none suffered hardship.

Amira Campbell, president of the National Union of Students (NUS) said this still left students who were part-way through courses unclear about whether to continue.

"The government is still refusing to provide the future funding that all students are eligible for, meaning that many of these students have been considering dropping out mid-way through the degrees they have worked so hard for," she said.

Last week, the NUS handed in a petition signed by 13,000 students calling on the government to backtrack.

Rachel Hewitt, chief executive of MillionPlus, which represents modern universities, said the change from government was "positive", but that the affected students' lives had been "turned upside down".

"Students and universities deserve further clarity, and the government should pause this action entirely, protect affected students and work with the sector on a fair and workable solution," she added.

The BBC understands ministers became concerned that support wasn't being provided as consistently or urgently as needed.

Nine of the universities involved took the first step towards legal action last week over what they called an "abrupt" decision, which risked penalising mature students on low incomes trying to get a better qualification.

Those nine universities said it was "disgraceful" that Monday's change was announced in Parliament before students were informed, adding that there were still more questions than answers.

In a statement, they added students were getting in touch with questions – "many of whom are among the most vulnerable, many are parents, many are from low-income backgrounds, many chose weekend study precisely because it was the only way they could access higher education around work and family commitments".

Some of the courses caught up in the row are delivered by private companies which have a deal with a university to teach their degrees, often in buildings hundreds of miles from the main campus.

The government has expressed concern this part of the system is open to abuse, and has said it will soon tighten regulations so that any of these franchise providers with more than 300 students have to register with the higher education regulator, the Office for Students.

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Cashier stole from vulnerable customers to fund trips to Paris, Tuscany and Dubai

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A building society cashier who stole from vulnerable customers was found out after colleagues saw she posted about numerous expensive holidays on social media, including a safari in Africa, as well as trips to Paris, Tuscany and Dubai, among others.

Facebook posts showed Kelly Kershaw, 54 – whose social media profile described her "living and loving life one adventure at a time" – skiing and sailing, as well as taking numerous trips abroad.

Huw Evans, prosecuting, said she stole from some of the "most vulnerable" customers at the Caernarfon Nationwide Building Society branch, including a stroke victim.

Kershaw appeared at Caernarfon Magistrates' Court and admitted five counts of fraud.

Compensation of £8,630 was sought although Nationwide had reimbursed the victims.

The Facebook photos also included an image of a BMW convertible with a personalised number plate.

Kershaw, of Nefyn, Gwynedd, committed the offences during 2023 and 2024, and Evans said she had been trusted member of staff first employed 18 years ago.

"It was noted by members of staff she was having numerous expensive holidays and appeared to be living beyond her means," Evans said.

An internal investigation began in October 2024 after it was suspected Kershaw had been forging customer signatures and processing cash withdrawals unknown to customers.

There were a high number of vulnerable customers at the Caernarfon branch where she worked, including an 85-year-old stroke victim and a 49-year-old man with learning difficulties who kept his bank card in the branch having previously been a victim of fraud.

Kershaw, who had a take home pay of £1,400 a month, claimed to have a "compulsive shopping addiction", and give money to beggars, as well as pay household bills.

But she also accepted money was spent on holidays to the Caribbean and elsewhere.

Michael Strain, defending, said she had moved to a close-knit community to start afresh and then developed an illness.

"She genuinely doesn't know what caused her to behave in this way," Strain said, adding that she was sorry.

"She's lost her job, good name and her reputation for honesty," he added.

The offences were described as "despicable" by the probation service.

Kershaw was bailed until 8 May when she will be sentenced.

📰 மூல செய்தி (Source): https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy81mm44kx4o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

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