On Thursday it emerged that Peter Mandelson was appointed the UK’s Ambassador to the US despite failing a crucial vetting process.
But the Foreign Office took the extraordinary step of overruling the decision without telling either the Prime Minister or the Foreign Secretary. No10 said Keir Starmer was livid when he belatedly found out on Tuesday.
He had previously told the Commons that due process was followed. And at a press conference in February he said Mandelson had passed his vetting.
On Thursday evening, hours after The Guardian broke the story, the Foreign Office’s top mandarin, Sir Olly Robbins, was dramatically sacked. The Government insists Sir Olly should have informed ministers about the assessment by UK Security Vetting (UKSV).
But allies of Sir Robin have said this would have gone against Whitehall policy, and insist he has been treated unfairly. The former mandarin will have a chance to give his side of the story on Tuesday when he is questioned by the Foreign Affairs Committee about Mandelson’s appointment.
This morning Tom Fletcher, a senior British diplomat at the UN and a friend of Sir Olly, said his pal was “heartbroken” by his dismissal.