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Robbins’ account raises questions over whether he was misled on Mandelson vetting
TL;DR
Sir Olly Robbins' testimony on Peter Mandelson's vetting raises concerns about whether he was misled regarding the vetting agency's findings. Robbins stated he did not see the vetting file but was briefed on its risks before a decision was made.
Key points
- Sir Olly Robbins testified about Peter Mandelson's vetting process.
- Robbins did not see the vetting file from UK Security Vetting.
- He was briefed that Mandelson was a borderline case for clearance.
- UKSV leaned towards recommending denial of clearance.
- Robbins was informed the Foreign Office may wish to grant clearance.
Mentioned in this story
Sir Olly RobbinsPeter MandelsonUK Security VettingForeign Office
An account of Peter Mandelson’s vetting process given by the former top civil servant Sir Olly Robbins has raised new questions about whether he was misled about the findings of the agency responsible for vetting.
Robbins, who was sacked from his role of permanent secretary at the Foreign Office last week after revelations in the Guardian, gave testimony about the process to a select committee.
Robbins told MPs that he did not see the vetting file produced by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV), which he described as existing in a “hermetically sealed box”.
However, he said he was briefed on the risks it highlighted at a meeting on 29 January 2025 with a top Foreign Office security official. That was the day after UKSV had submitted its recommendation.
According to Robbins, he was briefed that UKSV considered Mandelson “a borderline case”, and vetting officials were “leaning towards recommending that clearance be denied”. Robbins said he was told the case was not clearcut, and UKSV had indicated the Foreign Office “may wish to grant” Mandelson clearance with mitigations put in place.
But he was repeatedly questioned by MPs on the committee about the UKSV vetting file – a template of which was released on Friday.
A template page from the summary document produced by UKSV after Mandelson’s vetting. Illustration: No Credit
They said they understood the vetting file document clearly showed that UKSV’s advice was that Mandelson should be denied vetting as there was high concern, with ticks beside two key red boxes on the form.
The document in question lists three rankings for possible “overall concern”: low, medium and high, colour-coded in green, yellow and red, respectively. In the next box, there is a space for a vetting officer to list the outcome of the assessment with their “overall decision or recommendation”.
Q&A
What did Sir Olly Robbins say about Peter Mandelson's vetting process?
Sir Olly Robbins claimed he was not shown the vetting file for Peter Mandelson but was briefed on its risks, indicating that Mandelson was considered a borderline case for clearance.
Why was Sir Olly Robbins sacked from the Foreign Office?
Sir Olly Robbins was sacked from his role as permanent secretary at the Foreign Office following revelations regarding the mishandling of Peter Mandelson's vetting process.
What did the UK Security Vetting agency recommend regarding Mandelson?
The UK Security Vetting agency recommended that Peter Mandelson's clearance be denied, describing him as a borderline case, though the Foreign Office was indicated to potentially grant clearance with mitigations.
What implications does Robbins' testimony have for the vetting process?
Robbins' testimony raises significant questions about the transparency and integrity of the vetting process, particularly regarding whether officials were misled about the findings.
