Prime Minister Keir Starmer dismissed Sir Olly Robbins, the permanent under-secretary at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), on Thursday evening following revelations that Lord Peter Mandelson failed security vetting before he was appointed UK ambassador to the United States.

Starmer and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper lost confidence in Robbins after a Guardian investigation disclosed that Mandelson was denied Developed Vetting clearance by the United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) agency on January 28, 2025, only for FCDO officials to overrule the decision two days later. No ministers, including Starmer, were informed of the initial failure or the override at the time, according to Downing Street.

Starmer learned of the details on Tuesday evening and described the omission as "staggering" and "unforgivable," especially since he had assured Parliament on multiple occasions that full due process, including security vetting, had been followed. In September 2025, during Prime Minister's Questions, he stated three times that Mandelson received clearance from independent security services. He repeated similar assurances in a February 2025 press conference and again in February 2026.

Mandelson, a Labour peer with past ties to Jeffrey Epstein, was appointed to the role on December 20, 2024, and took up the post on February 10, 2025. He was removed seven months later amid newly released Epstein documents revealing a closer relationship than previously known, including emails where Mandelson called Epstein his "best pal."

The scandal resurfaced this week with the Guardian's report, prompting opposition leaders to demand Starmer's resignation. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called Starmer's claim of ignorance "preposterous," questioning why officials would overrule vetting without political direction. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey accused Starmer of misleading Parliament and the public, urging a Privileges Committee probe. Reform UK's Nigel Farage labeled Robbins a "sacrificial lamb."

Even within Labour, Foreign Affairs Committee chair Dame Emily Thornberry expressed frustration, feeling misled by Robbins's prior testimony and summoning him to appear next Tuesday. Chief Secretary Darren Jones defended Starmer, noting ministers are barred from seeing vetting details and announcing a review of departmental exemptions to overrule security advice.

Starmer, speaking from France amid talks on the Iran crisis, plans a Commons statement on Monday to outline the full facts. A retired high court judge, Adrian Fulford, will review Mandelson's vetting and the broader system. Downing Street insists neither the prime minister nor any minister knew of the overruling until this week.