All eyes were on No. 10 last week as the government was rocked by another twist in the Peter Mandelson scandal, resulting in the shock departure of a senior Foreign Office civil servant. Following the Guardian’s report that Mandelson was appointed as US Ambassador by the Foreign Office despite failing his security clearance, it is alleged Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper “lost confidence” in Sir Olly Robbins – ultimately leading to his dismissal.
Starmer will be hoping this sacking will limit MPs’ anger over Mandelson’s appointment, with the Prime Minister continuing to say the decision is “unforgivable” and that it is “staggering” he wasn’t informed security clearance wasn’t granted. Alongside this, he is expected to do further damage control today and “set out all the relevant facts in true transparency” to Parliament this afternoon.
The latest in this scandal will inevitably strengthen calls for Starmer to step down as Prime Minister, especially considering other tensions surrounding his premiership, such as the blocking of Andy Burnham from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election in February, and make a strong performance in the 7th May local elections even more crucial.
This, however, is looking increasingly unlikely with new polling revealing Labour is expected to lose Wales for the first time since devolution, alongside strong challenges from Reform in the Red Wall. Voting projections indicate Plaid Cymru will win 33 of the 96 seats, followed by Reform with 29 and Labour with 17 – setting the stage for what could be Labour's worst local election result on record and a step forward in Reform's push for power.
On Reform, this week the Party is set to launch its new policy on migration, specifically the deportation of an estimated 400,000 people granted asylum in the last five years. This would target anybody granted asylum, overstaying a visa, or from a country deemed safe by a Reform-led government. The announcement follows a stream of others on asylum from across all parties – including Labour’s landmark pledge to crackdown on immigration through disrupting human trafficking gangs and increasing the time before indefinite leave to remain is granted.
Away from domestic affairs, the conflict in the Middle East continues to rage with growing concern over access to the Strait of Hormuz. In response to a US naval blockade of Iranian ports, Tehran backtracked from its decision to open the vitally strategic waterway, leading to President Trump dispatching his negotiating team to Pakistan for talks which are hoped to develop relations between Iran and the US.
Iranian state media, however, has indicated that it will not participate in these talks – potentially ending negotiations before they have even started. With developments in this area quickly progressing, it will be worth keeping an eye on next steps from both the US and Iranian sides over the coming hours.
Headlines
- Judgment day as Starmer faces Commons showdown over Mandelson scandal – The Guardian
- Unemployment to top million for first time in more than a decade – The Telegraph
- US navy seizes Iranian ship after it breaches blockade – Financial Times
What’s on in Parliament
Monday 20th April
House of Commons
- Oral questions: Education
- Westminster Hall Debate: e-petition 751174 relating to a Maternity Commissioner
House of Lords
- Legislation: Tobacco and Vapes Bill - consideration of Commons amendment and / or reasons
- Legislation: Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill - consideration of Commons amendments and / or reasons (day two)
- Oral questions: Piloting digital voting in Business Improvement District ballots to improve participation and test secure digital voting systems
Tuesday 21st April
House of Commons
- Oral questions: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
- Westminster Hall Debate: Windfarm development on protected peatland
- Westminster Hall Debate: Potential merits of establishing an independent national review body overseeing wheelchair provision
House of Lords
- Oral questions: Progress towards achieving the graduate guarantee for newly qualified midwives
- Oral questions: Effect of the marginal pricing structure on the cost of electricity for domestic consumers
- Debate: Cancer outcomes in the UK and plans to improve them including diagnostic care and research
Wednesday 22nd April
House of Commons
- Prime Minister’s Question Time
- Oral questions: Wales
- Ten Minute Rule Motion: Criminal proceedings (juror absence)
- Westminster Hall Debate: Foundation Programme and its role in supporting and retaining junior doctors
- Adjournment: Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy and epilepsy deaths prevention
House of Lords
- Oral questions: Rollout of low carbon heat networks
- Oral questions: Plastic pollution: binding targets for reduction
Thursday 23rd April
House of Commons
- Oral questions: Cabinet Office
- Business Statement: Business Questions to the Leader of the House
- Westminster Hall Debate: Access to education and training for young adult carers
- Westminster Hall Debate: Gambling advertising
House of Lords
- Oral questions: Promoting home ownership for first-time buyers
- Oral questions: Funding to permit farmers to undertake environmental measures for flood prevention and drought resilience
Friday 24th April
House of Commons
- Not sitting
House of Lords
- Legislation: Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill – committee stage (day 14)
Consultations
- Proposal on support for pupils with medical conditions at school – closes 1st May
- New Towns Draft Programme – closes 19th May
- Make Work Pay: threshold for triggering collective redundancy obligations – closes 21st May
Statistics
- Labour market transformation – update on progress and plans: April 2026 – published 15th April
- Diagnostic waiting times and activity for February 2026 – published 16th April
- Medicine degree applicants and acceptances by free school meals status: 2019 to 2025 – published 17th April