A Christian commentator has defended Prime Minister Keir Starmer as he faced mounting pressure to resign over not being informed that his former ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, had failed security vetting before being handed the job.
In conversation with Premier Christian News on Friday, Rev Andy Fitchet, a Methodist minister and vice-chair of Christians On The Left said: "I think he is absolutely right to stay in post.[...] I think it's astounding that we have a system which could withhold information from the Foreign Secretary and from the Prime Minister."
"I think accountability doesn't always mean resigning. I think sometimes it can mean staying the course, fixing the problems that are seen in front of us and putting them right," Fitchet added.
This came as Starmer said it was "staggering" that he had not been told that former ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson had failed his security vetting.
Fitchet, the former Labour councillor, said that Starmer couldn't have possibly known what he "wasn't told".
"He's not a prophet, he's just a man doing his best," he said.
He added: "Yes, absolutely, he bears ultra responsibility, but you can only bear responsibility for the things you know and the mistakes that you make with the information that you have."
Starmer, asked whether he was considering his position, replied that he was furious that he had not been told about the failure.
"That I wasn't told that Peter Mandelson had failed security vetting when he was appointed is staggering," Starmer told reporters.
"Not only was I not told, no minister was told, and I'm absolutely furious about that."
He added: "What I intend to do is to go to parliament on Monday to set out all the relevant facts in true transparency so parliament has the full picture."
When asked how Christians should respond, Fitchet spoke about the importance of prayer.
"Praying for leaders generously is really helpful. Praying for them to have wisdom in decisions that they make, praying for them to have integrity in the way they act and resilience as well."
He concluded: "The Prime Minister holds a hugely heavy burden in the role that he does. So praying for strength and grace in that would be really important."