Foreign Office Chief Ousted as Mandelson Vetting Row Puts Starmer Under Pressure
Updated
Updated · Reuters · Apr 17
Foreign Office Chief Ousted as Mandelson Vetting Row Puts Starmer Under Pressure
53 articles · Updated · Reuters · Apr 17
The UK Foreign Office’s top civil servant, Olly Robbins, has been forced out after it emerged Peter Mandelson was appointed US ambassador despite failing security vetting.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper lost confidence in Robbins after the Foreign Office overruled security advice without informing ministers.
The revelation has triggered calls for Starmer’s resignation and demands for a Commons inquiry into whether he misled Parliament about Mandelson’s appointment process.
Was the UK's top diplomat made a scapegoat for a political failure?
Why was a failed security check for a top ambassadorial role overruled by officials?
Can the UK's national security vetting process be trusted after this scandal?
What secrets are hidden in the Mandelson appointment papers due for release?
Did the Prime Minister lie about Mandelson's vetting, or was he kept in the dark?
What did Mandelson allegedly leak to Jeffrey Epstein while serving as a minister?