Sir Olly Robbins, the top civil servant at the Foreign Office, has been forced out after a Guardian investigation revealed his department overruled a decision to deny Peter Mandelson security vetting clearance. Mandelson, appointed UK ambassador to the US by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, failed a developed vetting process in January 2025, according to multiple sources.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) used a rarely exercised authority to override the recommendation from UK Security Vetting (UKSV), a Cabinet Office division. Neither Starmer nor any minister was aware of the overrule until this week, Downing Street said, adding that Starmer was “furious” at being kept in the dark.
Robbins’s departure came as the prime minister faced calls to resign from opposition leaders, who accused him of misleading parliament. In September, Robbins co-signed a letter with Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper stating that Mandelson’s vetting was “conducted to the usual standard”. The Guardian understands Starmer and Cooper lost confidence in Robbins.
The government has released 147 pages of documents on Mandelson’s appointment, but the vetting failure was not disclosed. Senior officials are now considering whether to withhold further documents from the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), which could breach a parliamentary motion demanding all papers related to the appointment.
A Downing Street spokesperson said the government is “committed to complying” with the motion but may redact documents on national security grounds. The revelation raises questions about Starmer’s judgment and whether he misled the public in stating Mandelson had received “clearance for the role”.
