A Guardian investigation has revealed that Peter Mandelson failed a security vetting process in January 2025, but the Foreign Office overruled the decision. The top civil servant at the Foreign Office, Sir Olly Robbins, has been forced out following the disclosure.
Mandelson had been announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer as the UK's ambassador to the US, but security officials recommended against granting him developed vetting clearance. The Foreign Office used a rarely used authority to override this recommendation.
Downing Street insisted that Starmer had no knowledge of the security officials' advice until this week, and that responsibility lay with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Starmer was said to be 'furious' about being kept in the dark.
Opposition leaders called for Starmer to resign if he misled parliament. The government has released 147 pages of documents on the appointment, but it is understood that officials have considered withholding further documents from parliament that would reveal the vetting failure.
The decision to overrule UK Security Vetting was taken by FCDO officials, but it is not known who specifically made the call. Robbins was the department's top civil servant at the time.
