A high-ranking government official has declined to comment on the dismissal of Foreign Office head Sir Olly Robbins as questions mount over Keir Starmer’s leadership.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pat McFadden, expressed his support for the Prime Minister but evaded directly addressing whether he believed the decision to remove Sir Olly was just.
The Prime Minister removed Sir Olly from his position last week following revelations that a recommendation by UK Security Vetting (UKSV) to block Lord Mandelson’s high-level clearance had been overridden.
In a dramatic testimony to the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, Sir Olly revealed a sense of urgency to facilitate certain tasks when he assumed his role in January 2025, as the former Labour figure had already been designated as the PM’s choice for US ambassador in December 2024.
McFadden has consistently refrained from endorsing Starmer’s dismissal of Sir Olly. When questioned on Times Radio about the fairness of the sacking, McFadden praised Sir Olly but emphasized the Prime Minister’s prerogative in such matters.
Dave Penman, the general secretary of the FDA union representing senior civil servants, expressed concern about the chilling effect of the dismissal on government-civil service relations, stressing the importance of trust between ministers and civil servants for effective governance.
Meanwhile, Emily Thornberry criticized Starmer’s handling of the Mandelson scandal, indicating a setback in his leadership. Thornberry acknowledged positive changes in the Prime Minister’s staff at Downing Street but suggested that recent events had derailed progress, leaving uncertainty about the future direction.
