Senior official ousted over Mandelson security row to face MPs

The chief Foreign Office official ousted after it emerged Peter Mandelson was granted a security clearance despite concerns raised during the vetting process is expected to face questions from MPs on Tuesday.

Sir Olly Robbins will be grilled by the Foreign Affairs Committee over why the ex-US ambassador received the clearance, and whether No 10 was told about red flags.

It adds to the potential jeopardy Sir Keir Starmer faces next week, with the planned appearance coming a day after he is due to appear in the Commons to answer question about the row.

Robbins's predecessor Lord Simon McDonald has defended the senior official, telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme that "No 10 wanted a scalp and wanted it quickly".

The former permanent secretary said Sir Olly had been "observing process according to law", and stressed that details from the "confidential" vetting process would "never be shared with No 10 or the prime minister".

Asked about Sir Olly's effective sacking on Thursday, Lord McDonald said: "I cannot see that there was any process, any fairness, any giving him the chance to set out his case, and that feels, to me, wrong."

Sir Keir has come under intense scrutiny from opposition MPs, who have sought to cast doubt on his insistence that he first learned Mandelson had failed the vetting process earlier this week.

The prime minister had previously told the Commons that "due process" was followed over Mandelson's appointment, prompting accusations from opposition MPs that he misled Parliament.

On Friday he labelled the decision not to inform him sooner as "staggering", adding: "That I wasn't told that he had failed security vetting when I was telling Parliament that due process had been followed is unforgivable."

Mandelson was announced as the government's choice to be US ambassador in December 2024, with developed vetting beginning the same day.

He formally took up the post in February 2025, before being removed last September when further details about his past ties with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein came to light.

Sir Olly had been the most senior civil servant at the Foreign Office for two weeks when it was announced Mandelson had been picked for the Washington role.

Dame Emily Thornberry wrote to Sir Olly on Friday requesting that he appears before the Foreign Affairs Committee she chairs to answers questions.

BBC News understands he has not formally accepted the committee's invitation, but friends of his said he was preparing to appear on Tuesday.

They also cast doubt on whether Sir Olly ever actually saw the recommendation to the Foreign Office not to approve Lord Mandelson's vetting.

Allies said it was unlikely he was given the full report and may only have seen more specific risks thrown up during the process.

BBC News understands the vetting report returned a "no" verdict on whether a security clearance granting access to sensitive government material should be given to Mandelson.