Britain’s most senior official in the foreign ministry is set to depart after Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper lost confidence in his handling of a security-vetting matter involving Peter Mandelson, a government source said on Thursday.
The row centers on the disclosure that Mandelson, described in government statements as Britain’s former U.S. ambassador, did not pass his security vetting prior to taking up the role but was nonetheless granted clearance. The revelation has intensified pressure on Starmer over his appointment of Mandelson, who is currently under police investigation on suspicion of leaking government documents to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Government officials have stressed that the Prime Minister and other ministers were not aware of the decision to override the vetting advice. In a formal statement, a government spokesperson said: "Neither the Prime Minister, nor any government minister, was aware that Peter Mandelson was granted developed vetting against the advice of UK Security Vetting until earlier this week." The spokesperson added that the decision to grant the clearance was taken by officials in the foreign ministry.
Starmer has issued an apology for appointing Mandelson, while maintaining that his own actions were appropriate. He has accused Mandelson of creating a "litany of deceit" concerning his ties to Epstein and pledged to publish documents that outline how the appointment was made.
According to a source familiar with the matter, Olly Robbins - the most senior official at the foreign ministry - will leave his post after both Starmer and his ministerial superior, Yvette Cooper, said they no longer had confidence in him. A separate statement from a foreign ministry spokesperson said the Prime Minister had "initiated a process to establish the facts" around the vetting and that the department "was working urgently to comply with that process."
Press reporting earlier in the day indicated that the failed security check had been identified only after Mandelson’s appointment was announced. In response to questions about weaknesses in the vetting system, the government has previously promised to overhaul the process and "address weaknesses" in how security clearances are handled.
Some reports suggested officials were weighing whether to delay or withhold publication of documents that would show Mandelson had not been granted security clearance. The government spokesperson said that once the Prime Minister was informed of the situation, he instructed officials to determine why the clearance had been granted and to update parliament on the matter.
Mandelson, who is 72, has not made a public comment on the allegations that he leaked documents, and a lawyer for him declined to provide comment on the recent reporting. He was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office after the government passed on communications between him and Epstein to the police. Mandelson was subsequently released on bail while inquiries continue.
The controversy has deep roots in the chief diplomat’s relationship with Epstein. Mandelson was removed from what the article describes as the most prestigious posting in Britain’s diplomatic service in September, when the extent of his friendship with Epstein became more widely known. That relationship now lies at the heart of a British political scandal that has already prompted the resignations of two senior government officials.
Opposition figures have seized on the vetting breakdown as evidence of deeper problems. Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch accused the Prime Minister of misleading parliament after Starmer had said on three occasions last September that "full due process" had been followed in the appointment. The article notes that if Starmer were found to have knowingly misled parliament, he would have broken the ministerial code and would be expected to resign.
Prominent critics outside the parliamentary opposition have also weighed in. Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK party, said: "Keir Starmer said in February that the security services had given Mandelson ’clearance for the role,’" adding: "Now we discover that he has blatantly lied, the prime minister should resign."
Parliamentarians are expected to see more documents related to Mandelson’s vetting in the coming days, and that release could further increase scrutiny on the Prime Minister and officials involved in the clearance decision. The article highlights how the episode has reawakened political sensitivities about ministerial accountability and the integrity of security procedures.
Summary
A senior foreign ministry official will depart after the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister lost confidence in him following revelations that Peter Mandelson failed security vetting but was nevertheless granted developed vetting. Mandelson is under police investigation over alleged leaking of government documents to Jeffrey Epstein, and the matter has intensified calls for accountability and further scrutiny of the vetting process.
Key points
- The senior foreign ministry official will leave after Starmer and Yvette Cooper said they had lost confidence in him; Olly Robbins is named as the official departing.
- Mandelson failed security vetting before taking the role but was granted developed vetting by foreign ministry officials - a fact the Prime Minister and ministers were said not to have known until recently.
- The situation has prompted promises to investigate and reform vetting procedures and has raised questions about ministerial accountability in parliament.
Sectors likely affected
- Public administration and government - impacts on senior civil service leadership and procedures for appointments and clearances.
- Diplomatic service - reputational and operational implications for postings and trust in senior representatives.
- Legal and law enforcement - ongoing police investigation and judicial processes related to alleged misconduct in public office.
Risks and uncertainties
- Potential breach of ministerial code - if the Prime Minister is found to have knowingly misled parliament, he would be expected to resign, creating political instability.
- Incomplete clarity on vetting procedures - the government has acknowledged weaknesses and pledged reforms, but details and outcomes of any overhaul remain uncertain.
- Ongoing police inquiry into Mandelson - the investigation into alleged leaking and subsequent legal steps could lead to further revelations affecting senior officials and the foreign ministry.