Sir Olly Robbins, the UK Foreign Office’s most senior civil servant, has been forced to resign after the department overruled a decision to fail Peter Mandelson during his security vetting.
- Sir Olly Robbins resigned after Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper lost confidence in him.
- Peter Mandelson was initially denied security clearance in late January 2025 but was granted an override by Foreign Office officials.
- Downing Street maintains that Keir Starmer and David Lammy had no prior knowledge of the vetting failure.
The Peter Mandelson Security Vetting Override
In late January 2025, a highly confidential background check known as developed vetting resulted in Peter Mandelson being denied security clearance. Despite this, Foreign Office officials employed a rarely used authority to override the recommendation from security officials.
The override paved the way for Mandelson to become the US ambassador. This decision occurred just three weeks after Sir Olly Robbins had taken over as permanent secretary in early January 2025.
The fact that Mandelson had failed the vetting process had not been publicly revealed until recently, despite previous government releases of documents intended to provide clarity on the appointment.
Government Response and Knowledge
Downing Street issued a statement asserting that Prime Minister Keir Starmer and then-Foreign Secretary David Lammy were unaware that security officials had advised against Mandelson’s clearance. The statement placed full responsibility on the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Internal reports indicate that Starmer only learned of the failed vetting this past Tuesday. David Lammy reportedly became aware of the situation two days later when the news became public.
Political Fallout
The revelations have sparked calls from opposition parties for the Prime Minister’s resignation. One anonymous government minister described the situation as a “tipping point,” arguing that Sir Olly Robbins should not be the only “fall person” and that Starmer must resign.
Labour MP Chris Curtis described Robbins’ departure as “the right decision” while speaking on BBC Newsnight. However, Curtis suggested that the incident indicates a broader pattern of wrong decisions made at the top of the government.
Sir Olly Robbins previously served as the UK government’s Brexit negotiator before returning to the civil service as permanent secretary in 2025.
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