Who is Olly Robbins - Ex-Brexit negotiator facing Starmer's wrath over Mandelson

Who is Olly Robbins - Ex-Brexit negotiator facing Starmer's wrath over MandelsonOn Thursday Keir Starmer dramatically sacked Sir Olly Robbins - who was previously Tony Blair's principle private secretary - as head of the Foreign Office, having appointed him the previous yearCommentsNewsDave Burke Political Correspondent 15:09, 21 Apr 2026Updated 15:09, 21 Apr 2026View 3 ImagesSir Olly Robbins was sacked by Keir Starmer on Thursday last week(Image: George Cracknell Wright/Shutterstock)Since his dramatic sacking last week, Sir Olly Robbins has faced the brunt of the British state's anger.‌For half his life, the 51-year-old has been a key figure behind the scenes in Whitehall, prompting allies to say he has "public service stitched into his DNA". But on Monday Keir Starmer stood up in Parliament and accused him of deliberately withholding information about Peter Mandelson's vetting, which he branded unforgivable.‌He was sacked as head of the Foreign Office on Thursday, hours after the revelation became public, having been appointed by the PM the previous January. In a dramatic grilling, he claimed it was not a given that Mandelson would even be vetted - and also claimed he was asked to find a job for Matthew Doyle, one of Mr Starmer's key aides.‌The Oxford-educated civil servant was a central figure behind former prime minister Theresa May ’s troubled Brexit deal. During negotiations with the EU he faced constant criticism from all sides, with Eurosceptics continually accusing him of blocking progress.READ MORE: Olly Robbins piles pressure on PM amid claims No10 said 'just f***ing approve' MandelsonREAD MORE: 10 major points as Keir Starmer says Peter Mandelson vetting scandal 'beggars belief'View 3 ImagesSir Olly, left, with former Tory Brexit negotiator David Davis in 2018(Image: AFP)‌He took the contentious role midway through talks, after then-Brexit secretary David Davis was sidelined. The ensuing deal was rej...