Five things we learned from Cat Little's evidence to MPs about the Mandelson saga

"Little stated that her then Foreign Office counterpart had resisted sending her a summary of why Mandelson was initially refused vetting clearance, which she sought as part of her efforts to gather all relevant documents."

"Emails revealed that it was a Foreign Office team who contacted UKSV to ask whether, as a member of the House of Lords, Mandelson needed full vetting, with advice indicating that vetting was necessary."

"Little expressed concern over the lack of official records regarding the Prime Minister's approval of Mandelson's appointment, stating that it is normal to keep a record of such decisions."

Little's efforts to obtain documents regarding Mandelson's vetting clearance were met with resistance from her Foreign Office counterpart. She requested information directly from UK Security Vetting after being informed that it would not be provided. Emails indicated that the Foreign Office team inquired about Mandelson's need for vetting, with advice suggesting it was necessary. Little noted the absence of official records regarding the Prime Minister's approval of Mandelson's appointment, which is typically documented. Follow-up inquiries were made to locate any such records after Mandelson's dismissal.

Read at www.theguardian.com