The top civil servant at the Foreign Office, Sir Olly Robbins, has resigned after a Guardian investigation revealed his department overruled a decision to deny Peter Mandelson security clearance. Mandelson had failed a developed vetting process in January 2025, but the Foreign Office used a rarely used authority to override the recommendation from security officials.
Downing Street insisted Prime Minister Keir Starmer had no knowledge of the decision until this week, and responsibility lay with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Starmer was said to be “furious” about being kept in the dark. The prime minister now faces questions over whether he misled the public when he stated Mandelson had been given “clearance for the role”.
Opposition leaders called for Starmer’s resignation if he misled parliament. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said he “must take responsibility”, while Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey stated: “If Keir Starmer has misled parliament and lied to the British people, he has to go.”
Further documents are due to be released, but senior officials have considered withholding from parliament documents that would reveal Mandelson was not given vetting approval. Any attempt to withhold them from the Intelligence and Security Committee could breach a parliamentary motion to release all papers relating to Mandelson’s appointment.
The government has committed to complying with the motion, with redactions on national security grounds to be provided to the ISC. It remains unknown who in the Foreign Office made the decision to overrule UK Security Vetting.
