The Foreign Office's most senior civil servant has been effectively dismissed after revelations that his department concealed critical security vetting information about Lord Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Sir Olly Robbins, who served as permanent under-secretary at the Foreign Office, is leaving his position following confirmation that the department overruled security officials who had failed Lord Mandelson in his vetting process. Neither Sir Keir nor any ministers were informed about the failed vetting until this week, according to government sources.
"The BBC understands Sir Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper have lost confidence in Sir Olly Robbins, and he has effectively been sacked."
The controversy centers on Lord Mandelson's appointment as UK ambassador to the United States in December 2024. Despite failing the rigorous security vetting process conducted by UK Security Vetting—which examines candidates' financial history, criminal records, and personal relationships—the Foreign Office approved his appointment anyway. Lord Mandelson took up the role in February 2025 but was dismissed just seven months later over his connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The revelation has sparked a political firestorm, with opposition parties demanding Sir Keir's resignation. During Prime Minister's Questions in September 2025, Sir Keir stated three times that "full due process" had been followed in Lord Mandelson's appointment.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch declared: "It is either, he knew that Mandelson failed the security vetting and lied to us in Parliament, on TV repeatedly, or he didn't know, didn't ask and said he had passed the security vetting—which means he is hopelessly incompetent."
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey added that if the prime minister was unaware of the failed vetting, he should have "told Parliament at the earliest opportunity, not waited for the media to force the truth out."
Labour MP Emily Thornberry, chair of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, revealed she felt "misled" by Sir Olly when he testified before her committee last November about the vetting process. "We gave them direct questions and they half answered it, but they missed out the bit that was important... he didn't pass the vetting," she told the BBC.
Sir Keir is expected to address the House of Commons on Monday regarding the escalating scandal. The government has agreed to release all documents related to Lord Mandelson's appointment following a parliamentary vote demanding transparency, though reports suggest officials considered withholding the damaging information from MPs.
Sir Olly Robbins, who previously served as Theresa May's chief Brexit negotiator, held numerous senior Civil Service roles before his appointment to the Foreign Office's top position in January 2025. His departure marks another chapter in the ongoing controversy surrounding Lord Mandelson's brief tenure as US ambassador.