Top civil servant sacked by Starmer over Mandelson vetting in talks to work for Burnham
A former senior civil servant who was dramatically sacked by Keir Starmer earlier this year amid a furious row over Peter Mandelson’s botched security investigation is in talks to work for Andy Burnham.
Sir Olly Robbins, the most senior mandarin at the Foreign Office, is in talks about a possible security role if the new Labor MP, Mr Burnham, becomes prime minister. Independent he understands.
The move could mark a triumphant return for one of the most notable casualties of the Mandelson scandal that engulfed Sir Keir’s government earlier this year.
Talks between Sir Olly and Team Burnham are understood to be at an early stage, but he has a long history and is highly respected by many in government.
With current national security adviser Jonathan Powell long rumored to be planning to leave office, the next Prime Minister may need to fill a vacancy soon.
Sir Olly previously served as deputy national security adviser and later as the government’s chief Brexit negotiator, giving him the heavyweight background required for the role.
He will also become the second senior figure with extensive Whitehall experience to be hired by Team Burnham, after it was revealed that former cabinet minister James Purnell will act as chief of staff as the potential new Prime Minister tries to hit the ground running.
Sir Olly was sacked by the Prime Minister and accused of failing to tell him that Lord Mandelson, who was later fired over his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, had not been vetted for his role as US ambassador.
But Sir Olly’s allies say he was fired without even being asked to explain how he ran the saga. Independent It was announced in April.
Asked in the House of Commons if he wanted an explanation from Sir Olly, Sir Keir told MPs: “I asked him and I didn’t accept his explanation. That’s why I dismissed him.”
However, friends of the former permanent undersecretary responded and said: Independent “no questions were asked”.
Sir Keir also faced questions about how he failed to learn about the Labor ambassador’s botched investigation months after the story appeared online. Independent’s front page.
This publication contacted Sir Keir’s then director of communications, Tim Allan, about the September 11 failure and published the story later the same day.
The Prime Minister later told MPs that he and his ministers had only learned that a UK vetting had recommended Lord Mandelson be refused entry in April.
Mr Burnham is expected to become Labor leader and Prime Minister on July 17 if no rival candidate enters the race, according to newly released details of the timetable to replace Sir Keir.
In such a case, the new Prime Minister will not be appointed until just before Parliament reopens at the beginning of September.
Before this, local Labor Party branches will have the opportunity to nominate candidates between 20 and 31 July, and Labor Party members will vote between 6 and 27 August. The result will be announced on August 29.
