Comment by petesergeant

Lebedev isn't a clean example: appointment to the Lords really isn't the same as getting Top Secret clearance. In fact, one of MI5s reported reasons for revising their assessment was that peers don't routinely see classified information iirc. Mandelson getting DV clearance via an FCO override so he could be ambassador is a better example, although they're still claiming Starmer didn't put his finger on the scales there, where Trump clearly did.