No 10 had 'dismissive attitude' to Mandelson vetting, says sacked Foreign Office chief

No 10 had 'dismissive attitude' to Mandelson vetting, says ex-official19 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJoshua Nevett,Political reporterandJennifer McKiernan,Political reporterWatch key moments from sacked Foreign Office chief's testimonyFormer senior official Sir Olly Robbins has accused Downing Street of taking a "dismissive approach" to vetting during Lord Mandelson's appointment as the UK's ambassador to the US.Sir Olly was sacked as Foreign Office boss last week after it emerged he had cleared Lord Mandelson to take up the role despite officials raising security concerns, without telling Sir Keir Starmer.But in front of MPs, Sir Olly defended his actions, insisting he had followed the proper process while under "constant pressure" from No 10 to get Lord Mandelson in post.No 10 denied claims of a dismissive approach towards vetting, and said it was reasonable to ask for updates on the appointment.Key evidence from sacked official at heart of Mandelson vetting rowRobbins's revelations are a dangerous moment for StarmerLord Mandelson was announced as the UK's ambassador to the US in December 2024, with the peer then undergoing in-depth vetting to obtain his required security clearance for the role.The former Labour minister was then sacked as US ambassador in September last year, after new details emerged about the extent of his friendship with the late convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He has since said he regretted ever having known Epstein.Sir Keir appointed Lord Mandelson to the post, and the decision has dogged him for months, leading to calls for the prime minister to resign.The controversy was reignited last week, after The Guardian reported Sir Olly's department had gone against a recommendation from vetting officials that Lord Mandelson should not be given security clearance.In a statement to MPs on Monday, Sir Keir said it was "incredible" he was not informed...