Fired former UK official says he felt political pressure to approve Mandelson as US ambassador

Key Points:

• Olly Robbins, former head of Britain’s foreign service, testified that Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office pressured him to expedite Peter Mandelson’s appointment as British ambassador to Washington despite security concerns.
• Robbins revealed that Downing Street dismissed the need for thorough security vetting, with Mandelson being approved against the government’s security vetting agency’s recommendation, which flagged him as a “borderline case.”
• Mandelson, a controversial figure linked to scandals and a friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was appointed to the post in January 2025 but was fired by Starmer in September after new Epstein-related details emerged.
• Starmer faces criticism and calls to resign over his judgment, with opposition leaders accusing him of appointing a national security risk, though Starmer denies he will step down and has ordered a review of security breaches.
• The scandal has damaged Starmer’s standing within his Labour Party and among voters, with upcoming local elections seen as a critical test of his leadership amid ongoing police investigations into Mandelson’s alleged misconduct.