In a stunning revelation, a former top official from the Foreign Office accused the Prime Minister’s office of disregarding the necessity to vet Peter Mandelson. Sir Olly Robbins disclosed to a parliamentary committee that there was uncertainty regarding whether Mandelson, also known as the “Prince of Darkness,” would undergo vetting before being dispatched to Washington, adding more strain on Keir Starmer, who faces a political battle for survival following revelations that UK Security Vetting did not grant clearance to Mandelson.
The Prime Minister expressed outrage, stating that neither he nor his team were informed, leading to the dismissal of Sir Olly on Thursday night. During a thorough questioning by the Foreign Affairs Committee, the ousted official revealed various uncomfortable truths, including being pressured to secure an ambassadorial role for one of the Prime Minister’s key aides.
Sir Olly also faced inquiries about alleged instructions from Mr. Starmer’s former chief of staff to expedite Mandelson’s vetting process. He highlighted the leak of UKSV’s findings as a significant national security threat and mentioned the intense pressure to place Mandelson in his role swiftly.
Additionally, Sir Olly detailed the circumstances upon assuming office at the Foreign Office, where Mandelson’s name had already been made public, and he had access to certain IT systems. He emphasized the strong expectation from No10 to swiftly establish Mandelson in America even before Trump’s inauguration.
The former mandarin underscored the dismissive attitude towards Mandelson’s vetting clearance, indicating a primary focus on expediting his deployment rather than thorough vetting. The pressure from No10 to complete the vetting process swiftly was highlighted by Sir Olly, noting a lack of interest in the vetting specifics but rather an emphasis on timing.
Furthermore, Sir Olly mentioned a position from the Cabinet Office suggesting that vetting Mandelson might be unnecessary due to his status as a member of the House of Lords and a privy counsellor. He highlighted the delicate balance of managing concerns raised by UKSV regarding Mandelson’s clearance.
Regarding confidentiality, Sir Olly stressed the importance of respecting the vetting process’s confidentiality and refrained from divulging specific concerns about Mandelson, asserting the critical nature of maintaining candidates’ confidentiality during the vetting process.
In conclusion, Sir Olly expressed concerns about the unauthorized disclosure of information regarding Mandelson’s vetting and emphasized the critical breach of national security that such leaks could pose. He also addressed his dismissal, mentioning a lack of opportunity to address certain points before being terminated.
