Olly Robbins, the now-sacked chief civil servant at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), is slated to appear before MPs today to answer questions regarding the security vetting process for Lord Peter Mandelson, the UK's erstwhile ambassador to the US.
Robbins' departure from his post at the FCDO was precipitated by revelations that his department had overridden a security vetting recommendation against Mandelson. The controversy centres on the fact that Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, was apparently not informed of the vetting failure until after Mandelson's appointment had been publicly announced.
Senior minister Darren Jones has stated that Starmer was not made aware of the negative vetting recommendation until earlier this week, and that the Prime Minister did not mislead Parliament. Jones indicated that Starmer would not be resigning over the matter. The delay in informing the Prime Minister, according to Jones, was to ensure accuracy when facing parliamentary questions, following a request for full details from the head of the civil service, Antonia Romeo.
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The House of Commons’ Foreign Affairs Committee has indicated its intention to summon Robbins to provide testimony regarding his prior statements about the vetting procedure for Mandelson's ambassadorial role. The circumstances surrounding the FCDO's decision to override the initial negative clearance from UK Security Vetting remain a key point of contention. David Lammy, who held the position of Foreign Secretary at the time of Mandelson's appointment, is understood to have only learned of the overruled vetting on Thursday afternoon.
The fallout from the Mandelson vetting issue has intensified scrutiny on Starmer's administration and raised further questions about judgment. Yvette Cooper, the current Foreign Secretary, alongside Starmer, is reported to have lost confidence in Robbins, leading to his effective dismissal. Nick Dyer has assumed the role of Second Permanent Secretary at the FCDO on an interim basis.
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This situation is complicated by past associations. Emails reportedly surfacing seven months after Mandelson's appointment revealed the extent of his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, though the exact timing and relevance of these emails to the initial vetting remain unclear in public statements. Robbins was the top civil servant at the FCDO when the decision was made to proceed with Mandelson's appointment despite advice against it.
US President Donald Trump has also weighed in, criticising Starmer's choice of Mandelson as ambassador. The precise details of the timeline and the communication breakdown leading to Robbins' sacking are still being clarified, with it remaining unknown how Robbins himself will address the circumstances, including any potential pressure he felt regarding the publicly announced appointment.
