The political crisis at Downing Street continues to escalate sharply after former Permanent Secretary at the Foreign Office, Olly Robbins, delivered a shock testimony before the Foreign Affairs Committee. During the hearing, Robbins directly contradicted earlier statements made by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and exposed hidden details surrounding the controversial appointment of Peter Mandelson as the UK Ambassador to the United States.
In his testimony, Olly Robbins claimed that Number 10 Downing Street repeatedly pressured the Foreign Office to approve Peter Mandelson’s appointment, with a clear expectation that it should be completed before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump. According to Robbins, Downing Street showed “little concern” for the security vetting process and consistently pushed for updates on when it would be finished.
Most significantly, Robbins revealed that the government had attempted to appoint Mandelson without completing security vetting. The appointment was publicly announced, approved by the King, and agreed by the United States before the vetting process had even begun. He directly challenged earlier claims by Prime Minister Starmer, who had suggested he would have blocked the appointment had he been aware of the security concerns. Robbins argued that stopping the appointment at that stage would have been “extremely difficult” and could have seriously damaged UK–US diplomatic relations.
Robbins also expressed regret over the Prime Minister’s decision, stating: “I deeply regret that the due diligence process—which identified serious reputational risks—did not alter the Prime Minister’s judgement in making the appointment.” This appears to directly reference concerns regarding Mandelson’s links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The hearing also revealed another explosive allegation: Number 10 allegedly instructed Robbins to seek an ambassadorial post for Matthew Doyle, then-Director of Communications to the Prime Minister, who was later suspended in connection with a separate scandal involving a convicted paedophile. Robbins said he was asked to keep this request hidden from Foreign Secretary David Lammy and described feeling “deeply uncomfortable,” warning that it could damage the integrity of the Foreign Office.
Regarding his recent sudden dismissal, Olly Robbins stated that he did not fully understand why he was removed from his position and hinted that he may consider legal action against the government. He described feeling “deeply saddened” to leave a role and institution to which he had devoted his career.
Robbins’ testimony has triggered a new political earthquake, directly threatening the authority and credibility of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as the Labour government faces a growing series of escalating scandals.