Fury within Whitehall over the sacking of senior civil servant Olly Robbins remains intense, with critics accusing Keir Starmer of a self-serving political move that has damaged relations between No 10 and the civil service. Robbins was dismissed for failing to inform the prime minister that former US ambassador Peter Mandelson had not passed UK security vetting.
Supporters argue Robbins was effectively sacked for doing what No 10 wanted—swiftly passing Mandelson through vetting and implementing mitigations. Starmer described the failure to inform him as 'staggering', but civil servants express incredulity, believing the prime minister was blindsided by another Mandelson-related controversy.
The ousting follows the removal of cabinet secretary Chris Wormald in February and Starmer's previous criticism of Whitehall's 'tepid bath of managed decline'. One mid-ranking official warned of a 'chilling effect', asking why officials would take risks for ministers if they lack backing when things go wrong.
Former permanent secretaries have rallied behind Robbins, with ex-cabinet secretary Gus O'Donnell warning of a crisis in minister-civil servant relations. Dave Penman of the FDA union said Robbins was 'tossed out by the prime minister and did absolutely nothing wrong', calling the dismissal 'completely unjustifiable'.
Security concerns have also arisen, with Foreign Office sources describing the establishment as 'having kittens' over potential disclosure of vetting details. Former diplomat Peter Ricketts praised Robbins as an 'outstanding civil servant', while ex-MI6 chief Sir Richard Dearlove called him a 'scapegoat' but suggested he should have personally informed Starmer.
