Senior official ousted over Mandelson security row to face MPs Sir Olly Robbins, the former permanent under-secretary at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), is set to appear before the Foreign Affairs Select Committee to give evidence on his role in the security vetting controversy surrounding Lord Peter Mandelson’s appointment as UK ambassador to the United States. The committee confirmed Robbins will be questioned on Tuesday, following his dismissal from the post last week after it emerged that the Foreign Office had overruled advice from the UK Security Vetting unit to allow Mandelson to take up the ambassadorial role despite failing security clearance. Robbins’ removal came after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper stated they had lost confidence in him over the handling of the vetting process. The Prime Minister said he was “absolutely furious” that he had not been informed Mandelson had failed security vetting when he told Parliament that “full due process” had been followed. Mandelson was formally appointed as UK ambassador to the US in December 2024 and took up the role on 10 February 2025. He was removed from the post in September 2025 due to his links to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Guardian’s initial investigation revealed that Mandelson had been granted Developed Vetting against the recommendation of the UK Security Vetting agency, a fact not disclosed to the Prime Minister or any government minister until earlier this week. Senior minister Darren Jones has defended Starmer, stating the Prime Minister was not told of the vetting recommendation until Tuesday and had not misled MPs. The Foreign Affairs Select Committee chair, Dame Emily Thornberry, invited Robbins to give evidence, marking the second time he will be questioned about his involvement in the Mandelson scandal. Nick Dyer, the FCDO’s second permanent secretary, has taken over Robbins’ duties on an interim basis while the department works through the period of change.
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