Sir Keir Starmer faced a difficult Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday as the fallout from the Peter Mandelson vetting scandal continued. The prime minister is under pressure over his decision to dismiss Sir Olly Robbins, the Foreign Office chief, after it emerged that Sir Olly did not inform Starmer that Lord Mandelson had been cleared for the Washington ambassador post despite security vetting officials advising against it.
Former cabinet secretary Lord Mark Sedwill has called on Starmer to reverse the sacking, praising Sir Olly's “calm integrity and intelligence” and stating: “The country needs him.” Lord Sedwill led the civil service from 2018 to 2020.
Sir Olly appeared before the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday, describing a “dismissive approach” from No 10 regarding vetting and an “atmosphere of pressure” to expedite Lord Mandelson's appointment as UK ambassador to the US. He said that by the time he took up his post in January 2025, Lord Mandelson had already undergone Cabinet Office due diligence, received approval from the King and the US, and was granted access to highly classified briefings without confirmed security clearance.
Downing Street rejected Sir Olly's characterisation, insisting there is a distinction between “the idea of pressure” and “being kept informed about the process and the progress of the appointment”. The controversy continues to dominate Westminster.
