UK Government Vetting Probe Expands to Marie Anderson

The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has agreed to include the controversial appointment of Marie Anderson, the former United Kingdom===Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, in a wider review of government security vetting procedures. This decision follows claims by DUP leader Gavin Robinson that Anderson was appointed in 2019 despite security concerns. The review was initially prompted by revelations surrounding the security vetting of Lord Mandelson, who was sacked as US ambassador due to his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Concerns about Anderson's appointment were also raised by DUP MLA Trevor Clarke and UUP leader Jon Burrows, particularly given her access to highly sensitive information and a previous police investigation into a domestic incident, for which she was not prosecuted. The United Kingdom===Northern Ireland Office, which made the appointment during a period of devolved government collapse, is now examining its records.