Sacked Foreign Office Chief Defends Mandelson Security Clearance Decision
Former Foreign Office chief Sir Olly Robbins has defended his actions in granting Lord Mandelson security clearance, telling MPs there was a "dismissive approach" to the peer's security vetting from Number 10 with an "atmosphere of pressure" to get the appointment through.
Dismissal and Committee Appearance
Sir Olly, who was sacked by Prime Minister Keir Starmer last week for not disclosing that Lord Mandelson had failed initial security checks, appeared before the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday to explain his decision-making process. The Whitehall veteran said he does not "fully understand" the reasons for his dismissal and is "desperately sad" about it.
He insisted that only the final outcome of the vetting process – which was that Lord Mandelson was granted developed vetting (DV) clearance – should be shared with ministers, rather than the concerns raised during the assessment.
Background to the Appointment
The initial announcement that Lord Mandelson was being sent to Washington as UK ambassador was made before Sir Olly took up his role as permanent under-secretary at the Foreign Office in January 2025. By that time:
- The process of clearing the peer was already well under way
- Questions had been raised by the Cabinet Office about whether formal vetting was necessary
- Lord Mandelson had already gone through the Cabinet Office's "due diligence" process
- Approval had been given by the King
- The US had agreed to his appointment
- He was already allowed in the building and receiving "highly classified briefings" on a case-by-case basis
Sir Olly told MPs that all these factors "resulted in a dismissive attitude to DV" from Number 10, but despite this "atmosphere of pressure," he insisted Foreign Office civil servants carried out the process normally.
Security Concerns and Decision-Making
MPs revealed that UK Security Vetting (UKSV), the agency responsible for checks on candidates for sensitive posts, had ticked two red boxes on Lord Mandelson's form – indicating "high concern" and recommending "clearance denied or withdrawn."
Sir Olly said he had never seen that specific form but had been briefed by Foreign Office security staff that UKSV considered Mandelson a "borderline case" leaning toward recommending denial of clearance. He was told the risks did not relate to Lord Mandelson's relationship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
"I was told that UKSV acknowledged that the Foreign Office might wish to grant clearance with appropriate risk management," Sir Olly told the committee.
Key Revelations to MPs
During his testimony, Sir Olly made several significant revelations:
- The normal vetting process was only carried out because the Foreign Office "put its foot down" after the Cabinet Office suggested Lord Mandelson's status as a member of the House of Lords and privy counsellor made it unnecessary
- Dropping Lord Mandelson as the nominee for the Washington post would have caused "quite an issue" with Donald Trump's incoming administration in January 2025
- Number 10 had considered trying to find an ambassadorial post for Sir Keir's former communications chief Lord Matthew Doyle
Prime Minister's Response and Political Fallout
During a two-and-a-half hour session in the Commons on Monday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he challenged Sir Olly over why he went against UKSV's recommendation after discovering it last week. "I did ask him and I didn't accept his explanation," Sir Starmer said. "That's why I sacked him."
Sir Olly countered that the confidentiality of the vetting process was "designed to protect UK national security." He received his formal dismissal letter on Monday and has "sought advice" on it, indicating potential legal action.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch claimed Sir Olly's evidence showed the Prime Minister had misled Parliament. "The evidence from Olly Robbins is devastating to Keir Starmer," she said. "It is clear that Number 10 not only made the appointment before vetting was completed, but that Mandelson was already acting as the ambassador before the vetting – even seeing highly classified documents."
Badenoch added: "With this, and the 'constant pressure' Number 10 applied to the appointment and their 'dismissive attitude' to vetting Mandelson, it is now absolutely clear that full due process was not followed. Keir Starmer has misled the House."
Sir Olly concluded his testimony by expressing his personal distress: "I don't fully understand the reasons that I'm in the position I am in, but that is for a separate process for me to try to get to the bottom of. As a human being, I'm desperately, desperately sad about it."
