Keir Starmer has dismissed Sir Olly Robbins, the head of the Foreign Office, in response to the Peter Mandelson vetting controversy.
The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have reportedly lost trust in Sir Olly, leading to his departure. This decision follows the revelation that Lord Mandelson was appointed as US ambassador despite failing security vetting protocols.
Sir Olly, who was the top civil servant at the Foreign Office at the time, played a role in overruling advice from UK Security Vetting to enable Lord Mandelson to secure the ambassadorial position.
In light of these developments, an urgent investigation has been launched by Mr. Starmer to determine why Lord Mandelson’s vetting clearance was granted, raising concerns about potential misinformation provided to Members of Parliament.
The Foreign Office has stated that it is actively working to address the situation as requested.
Mr. Starmer has faced significant scrutiny for appointing Lord Mandelson as the UK’s representative in Washington last year. Lord Mandelson, a controversial figure from the Labour Party, was tasked with aiding the Prime Minister in managing relations with then-US President Donald Trump.
However, Lord Mandelson was relieved of his duties in September after new emails surfaced detailing his connections with Epstein.
According to a Government spokesperson, ministers were unaware of Lord Mandelson’s initial security clearance denial in late January 2025 following a background check.
The responsibility for the vetting process was placed on the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), which granted Lord Mandelson clearance against the advice of UK Security Vetting officials.
The Prime Minister was only made aware of this discrepancy recently and has instructed officials to investigate the matter promptly for transparency.
An FCDO representative confirmed that efforts are underway to comply with the Prime Minister’s directive to investigate the developed vetting process.
Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Lammy, now serving as Justice Secretary, was reportedly informed of the situation on Thursday.