BARNSLEY’S three MPs have explained their reasons for voting against Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer facing an investigation over claims he misled MPs about the process to appoint Lord Mandelson.
On Tuesday, a Conservative-led motion sought to trigger an enquiry into the claims, but this was voted 335 to 223 against in the House of Commons.
The Ministerial Code states that ministers who knowingly mislead Parliament are expected to resign from their role, while any inadvertent error should be corrected at the earliest possible opportunity.
Lord Mandelson began his role as the US ambassador back in February 2025 but was sacked in September after Downing Street said new information about the depth of his relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had emerged.
The Prime Minister has faced repeated questions over the appointment, including on why the peer was given security clearance for the role by the Foreign Office despite concerns being raised by vetting officials.
All three Barnsley MPs - Barnsley North’s Dan Jarvis, Barnsley South’s Stephanie Peacock and Penistone and Stocksbridge’s Marie Tidball - voted against the plans.
Ms Tidball told the Chronicle: “The Prime Minister has expressed his ongoing regret and unequivocally apologised for the incorrect decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as ambassador, and most importantly, has apologised to the victims of Epstein.
“The Prime Minister has also recognised the importance of transparency with respect to this matter.
“This is not a matter for the Privileges Committee.
“The work of the Privileges Committee is incredibly important and integral to our constitution, but there must be appropriate thresholds for these investigations, namely lying to the Commons.
“It is not about the interpretation of a question and answer at Prime Minister Questions.
“We know that the Foreign Affairs Select Committee has been working hard to hold the Government to account on this matter, alongside the unprecedented number of papers submitted for the Humble Address.
“As the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee has said, it’s really important that the Privileges Committee does not duplicate this work.
“Whilst Opposition parties are playing political games, the Prime Minister will continue getting on with the work that matters for our communities - cutting the cost of living, bringing down NHS waiting lists and breaking down barriers for everyone.”
Dan told the Chronicle: “This didn’t belong anywhere near the Privileges Committee - it was a cynical pre-election stunt designed to distract from the good work the Labour government is doing.
“It hasn’t worked.
“While others play politics, we’re getting on with the job.”
Ms Peacock’s views on the matter were similar.
She said: “This is not a matter for the Privileges Committee.
“This the Conservative Party playing politics before the local elections.
“We are getting on with the job - building an NHS fit for the future, tackling the cost of living, and giving every child the best start in life.
“The Prime Minister has acknowledged that he made a mistake and has been transparent throughout the ongoing procedures.”(
