Starmer-Mandelson latest: Olly Robbins accuses No 10 of ‘dismissive approach’ to ex-ambassador’s vetting

Sir Olly Robbins said he was informed that the UK Security Review (UKSV) considered Lord Mandelson a “borderline case” and that the risks identified were not related to his relationship with pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The former senior civil servant told the Foreign Affairs Committee: “I have been informed that the UKSV view Mandelson as a borderline case and that they are inclined to recommend that permission be refused, but that the Foreign Office’s security department has assessed that the risks identified by the UKSV as of the highest concern can be managed and/or reduced.”

He said “appropriate risk management” had been put in place for Lord Mandelson.

Sir Olly Robbins said he doubted there was a record of every conversation between the Foreign Office and Number 10.

“I doubt there is a record of every telephone conversation,” he told the Foreign Affairs Committee.

“I’m sure there is a trace that explains regular contact.”

Committee chair Dame Emily Thornberry asked Sir Olly whether a phone call from Downing Street effectively telling the Foreign Office to “get on with it” was significant, even if it was made on a regular basis.

Each time he replied, “Yes, but if it does not tell the ministry anything new, there may be no need to record it.”

Sir Olly Robbins has said the risks UKSV flagged as part of its advice to refuse Peter Mandelson’s security clearance were not related to Jeffrey Epstein.

Mandelson was removed from his post as US ambassador last September following further revelations about his ties to the financier.

But Sir Olly told the Foreign Affairs Committee that this was not why the security services had raised concerns about Mandelson.

“I was also told that the risks were not related to Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein,” he said.

“And I’m told that I don’t know how UKSV accepted this, but they accepted that the Secretary of State might want to allow it with appropriate risk management.”

Sir Olly Robbins accused Downing Street of leaking the Mandelson review story to The Guardian in a letter he sent to Dame Emily Thornberry before joining the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs.

He wrote: “Finally, it is extremely worrying that the story was leaked to The Guardian just days after CO officials briefed No 10 about the problems they perceived during Mandelson’s review.”

Sir Olly Robbins described the pressure No 10 was putting on Foreign Office officials to grant Peter Mandelson security clearance as quickly as possible.

The suspended officer said there was “no interest” from No 10 in whether the review “passed”, only “when”.

He told the Foreign Affairs Committee: “To be honest, I think throughout January my office, the foreign office, was under constant pressure.”

“There was a constant chase atmosphere.”

“As far as I remember, it was never a matter of if it happened, only when,” he added.

The former top State Department official says he should take steps to vet Peter Mandelson.

“He said a position was taken from the Cabinet Office that there was no need to examine Mandelson. He was a member of the House of Lords. He was a privy counsellor.”

“The risks of his appointment were well known and made clear to the Prime Minister before his appointment. Now, finally, the FCDO has persisted and put his foot down.”

Sir Olly Robbins said that when he took over as the senior official at the Foreign Office, No 10 said they wanted Peter Mandelson to take over “as quickly as humanly possible”.

“The first official communication of this from the No 10 private office to my predecessor was that they wanted all this to be done quickly and to have Mandelson in place before the inauguration.”

He added: “So that’s what I encountered. I’m afraid what that meant for my team at the Foreign Office – and certainly the handover briefing I received when I came into office – I felt was a generally dismissive attitude towards his review warrant.”

Sir Olly Robbins said he had a “very, very strong expectation” that Downing Street’s Lord Mandelson would be appointed as soon as possible.

He said he was not “walking in a vacuum” when he took office as permanent undersecretary on January 20 last year and had obtained a due diligence report assessing his reputational risks and suitability for the job.

At that time, Lord Mandelson’s name was presented to the King and he was granted low-end information technology and access to the building.

He said: “I’m afraid I’ve already gotten into a situation where there’s a very, very strong expectation and you’ll see the documents already issued under the modest address, from No 10, which need to get into the post and into America as quickly as possible.”

Former Foreign Office official Sir Olly Robbins said there was a “condescending approach” to the investigation from No 10 into Lord Mandelson’s case.

Sir Olly was blamed by Downing Street for failing to warn ministers that the UK Security Review (UKSV) had recommended against granting security clearance to Peter Mandelson. He is currently giving evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee, but had previously said in a letter that there was an “atmosphere of pressure” surrounding the appointment.