Sir Keir Starmer sacked the top civil servant at the Foreign Office over the latest revelation that Peter Mandelson was appointed US ambassador despite failing security vetting.
Sir Olly Robbins leaves as the Prime Minister faces calls to resign and accusations that he mislead parliament over his claim that due process was followed in the peer’s appointment.
One Labour MP told The i Paper: “Colleagues are flabbergasted,” while another questioned how Starmer could keep his job. “We were assured that Mandelson passed the security vetting. That was patently untrue,” they said.
Who is Olly Robbins?
The top civil servant was fired over the phone just before 11pm on Thursday, with Starmer reportedly “furious” about the latest revelations.
It came five hours after No10 confirmed the news, saying the decision to overrule the vetting decision was taken by officials in the Foreign Office and that Starmer, and no other minister, was aware of the matter until “earlier this week”.
Robbins had only started in the role a few weeks before the decision appears to have been made, having been appointed in late January 2025.
He has held several senior roles in the civil service, serving as former Tory PM Theresa May’s chief Brexit negotiator and previously permanent secretary for the Home Office under David Cameron.
Labour MP Emily Thornberry, who chairs the Common Foreign Affairs Committee, said she felt Robbins had “misled” the committee when giving evidence over Mandelson’s vetting last November.
She told the BBC that the committee asked “direct questions” which were “half answered”, but the crucial fact that “he didn’t pass the vetting” was missed out.
What is the danger for Starmer?
Starmer is facing fresh calls to resign from the opposition parties, who have accused him of dismissing Robbins to save himself.
But the real danger for the Prime Minister does not lie in the rival political parties but his own.
When the revelations about Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein first emerged the pressure was such that it almost toppled his premiership and the leadership question only really subsided in recent weeks due to heightened geopolitical uncertainty and a focus on the upcoming local elections.
The local elections were already expected to be difficult for Labour and, with this latest iteration of the Mandelson saga hanging over Starmer and the election campaign, Labour backbenchers who pulled back from the brink earlier this year could be emboldened to again call for him to be replaced.
The crucial question lies with Stamer’s rivals for the leadership. The Labour Party rules – which prevent a leader being ousted without a challenger having come forward – have saved Starmer until now and all eyes will be on the likes of Wes Streeting, Angela Rayner or any other potential rival to see if they will speak out.
Darren Jones, chief secretary to the prime minister, said on Friday morning that Starmer will not resign, telling BBC Breakfast that he has not knowingly or unknowingly misled Parliament.
But it is what ministers begin briefing in private that truly indicates whether Starmer still has the support and faith of his most senior team.
And it if emerges that Starmer did actually share false information with Parliament – albeit on the advice of officials – it would be increasingly hard for him to defend his position.
Starmer is also facing accusations of misleading Parliament over the decision to appoint Mandelson. He told MPs that “full due process” was followed, although it later emerged that the former British ambassador to the US had failed security vetting.
Downing Street has said the prime minister only became aware of the decision to override recommendations by the security services on Tuesday night.
But the ministerial code states that ministers must correct any inadvertent error “at the earliest opportunity”, raising questions over why a statement was not made in Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.
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