General · 21 April 2026
Olly Robbins felt pressure over Mandelson's US job
The appointment process for Peter Mandelson as US ambassador has put Keir Starmer under fresh pressure. Sacked civil servant Olly Robbins stated that No 10 exerted "constant pressure" on the Foreign Office to approve Mandelson's role quickly, even urging them to skip usual vetting. Robbins overturned a UK Security Vetting recommendation that had denied clearance for Mandelson due to "high" overall concerns.
Reported by Guardian · How we write briefs