Sacked Foreign Office Chief Exposes No10 Pressure Over Mandelson Appointment
Sir Olly Robbins, the Foreign Office mandarin dismissed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer last week, has delivered explosive testimony to the Foreign Affairs Committee, accusing Downing Street of being "dismissive" about the need to properly vet Peter Mandelson before his ambassadorial posting to Washington.
The sacked official claimed that when he assumed his role last January, Mandelson's appointment had already been announced without caveats, with the peer already granted building access and IT systems. Sir Olly stated he walked into a situation where there was a "very, very strong expectation" from No10 that Mandelson needed to be in America "as quickly as humanly possible," ideally before Donald Trump's inauguration.
Vetting Process Under Scrutiny
One of the most startling revelations was Sir Olly's assertion that it was "not a given" Mandelson would be vetted at all. He described a "generally dismissive attitude" toward the clearance process from No10, with officials showing interest only in when vetting would be completed, not whether it should proceed.
"The briefing I had on arrival was that there had been a position taken from the Cabinet Office that some of Mandelson's status meant that vetting might be unnecessary," Sir Olly told MPs, adding that this discussion had continued for several days after the initial press notice.
When UK Security Vetting (UKSV) did examine Mandelson's case, Sir Olly revealed they considered him a "borderline case" leaning toward recommending clearance denial. However, the Foreign Office's Security Department assessed that identified risks could be managed or mitigated.
Pressure to Appoint Starmer Aide
In another significant disclosure, Sir Olly claimed he was pressured to find an ambassadorial position for Matthew Doyle, then the Prime Minister's director of communications. He was given "strict instruction" not to discuss this with then-Foreign Secretary David Lammy, which made him "uncomfortable." The idea was reportedly dropped after a couple of days, with Doyle later appointed to the House of Lords.
Sir Olly defended his handling of the Mandelson case, insisting he had followed procedure "to the letter" despite the atmosphere of pressure. "I've been a civil servant for a quarter of a century," he stated. "I could recite the code to you... and I've abided by it."
National Security Concerns
The former mandarin expressed deep concern about the leak of Mandelson's vetting findings to The Guardian, calling it a "grievous breach of national security." He warned that "trust once gone, cannot be got back" and hoped rigorous investigations would lead to prosecutions.
Sir Olly also suggested his dismissal was unfair, stating he regretted not having the opportunity to respond to the Prime Minister's criticisms before receiving his termination letter. He maintained it was normal practice for prime ministers not to be briefed on vetting details, citing Lord Hague and David Lammy as examples of ministers who never expected such discussions.
Throughout his testimony, Sir Olly refused to name other civil servants involved or disclose specific concerns about Mandelson, arguing this would undermine the vetting process. He did, however, acknowledge that torpedoing Mandelson's appointment would have caused "a real problem for the government and a problem for the country."
The revelations come as Keir Starmer fights for political survival following last week's disclosure that UKSV did not approve Mandelson's clearance. The Prime Minister has said he was never informed about these concerns, leading to Sir Olly's dismissal on Thursday evening.
