Starmer Dismisses Foreign Office Chief Over Vetting Breach

Prime Minister Keir Starmer dismissed Sir Olly Robbins, the permanent undersecretary at the Foreign Office, on Thursday night amid revelations that the department overruled a security vetting failure to appoint Lord Peter Mandelson as Britain's ambassador to the United States in January 2025.

The decision came hours after reports emerged that Mandelson's vetting by the United Kingdom Security Vetting service resulted in a recommendation of clearance denied, citing high overall concerns. Despite this, Foreign Office officials, led by Robbins, invoked a rarely used authority to grant approval anyway. Starmer stated he was not informed of the overruling until a meeting on Tuesday evening, describing the lapse as staggering and unforgivable. No ministers or Downing Street staff were told at the time of the appointment, according to government statements. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper learned of the issue only on Thursday after journalists inquired, sources said.

Robbins, who assumed the role last year, has allies who maintain he adhered to civil service protocols under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, which restricts sharing sensitive vetting details with...