Keir Starmer has dismissed Sir Olly Robbins, the head of the Foreign Office, in connection with the controversy surrounding Peter Mandelson’s security vetting. The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have reportedly lost faith in the senior official, leading to his departure. This decision follows the disclosure that Lord Mandelson was appointed as the US ambassador despite initial security clearance denial.
Sir Olly, who held a key position at the Foreign Office during the authorization to bypass advice from UK Security Vetting for Lord Mandelson’s appointment, is now facing scrutiny. No10 clarified that the Prime Minister was unaware of the initial clearance denial for the Labour figure. Consequently, an urgent investigation has been initiated by Mr. Starmer to determine the circumstances surrounding Lord Mandelson’s vetting approval and address concerns of potential misinformation to Parliament.
The Foreign Office has pledged swift action to address the issue at hand. Mr. Starmer has faced mounting pressure over his selection of Lord Mandelson as the UK’s envoy to Washington, culminating in his dismissal seven months later due to new revelations about his association with Epstein.
A government spokesperson highlighted that ministers were not informed of Lord Mandelson’s clearance denial in late January 2025 after a developed vetting process. No10 attributed responsibility to the Foreign Office for the security vetting process and decision-making regarding Lord Mandelson. The Prime Minister has instructed officials to investigate and provide updates to the House of Commons on the situation.
The FCDO confirmed that an inquiry has been initiated by the Prime Minister to ascertain the details of the vetting process and ensure compliance. Additionally, it was revealed that Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Lammy, now serving as Justice Secretary, was only informed of the situation on Thursday.
