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

Sir Olly Robbins stated he was briefed that United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) thought-about Lord Mandelson a “borderline case” and that dangers recognized didn’t relate to his relationship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The former senior civil servant advised the Foreign Affairs Committee: “I was briefed that UKSV considered Mandelson a borderline case and that they were leaning towards recommending that clearance be denied, but that the Foreign Office’s security department assessed that the risks identified as of highest concern by UKSV could be managed and/or mitigated.”

He stated that “appropriate risk management” was put into place, for Lord Mandelson.

Sir Olly Robbins stated he doubted there was a report of each dialog between the Foreign Office and No 10.

“I doubt there’s a record of every phone call,” he advised the Foreign Affairs Committee.

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

Sir Olly was requested by committee chairwoman Dame Emily Thornberry whether or not a cellphone name from Downing Street successfully telling the Foreign Office to “get on with it” was necessary, even when it occurred repeatedly.

He replied that “it is, but if it’s not telling the department anything new, then there might be no need to record it” each time.

Sir Olly Robbins has stated that the dangers flagged by UKSV as a part of their advice to disclaim Peter Mandelson safety clearance weren’t associated to Jeffrey Epstein.

Mandelson was sacked from his job as US ambassador final September after additional mild was shed on his ties to the financier.

But Sir Olly advised the Foreign Affairs Committee that the rationale that safety providers raised issues with Mandelson was not associated to this situation.

“I was also told that the risks did not relate to Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein,” he stated.

“And that I was told that UKSV acknowledged, I don’t know in what way, but acknowledged that the Foreign Office might wish to grant clearance with appropriate risk management.”

In his letter despatched to Dame Emily Thornberry forward of his look on the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, Sir Olly Robbins accused Downing Street of leaking the Mandelson vetting story to The Guardian.

He wrote: “Finally, it is deeply worrying that within days of CO officials briefing No 10 on the issues they perceived with Mandelson’s vetting the story had leaked to The Guardian.”

Sir Olly Robbins has described a strain placed on Foreign Office officers by No 10 to grant Peter Mandelson’s safety clearance as shortly as doable.

The sacked civil servant stated there was “never any interest” from No 10 on “whether” the vetting had handed, simply an curiosity in “when”.

“I think throughout January, honestly, my office, the foreign secretary’s office, were under constant pressure,” he advised the Foreign Affairs Committee.

“There was a there was an atmosphere of constant chasing.”

He added there was “never any interest, as far as I recall, in whether – but only an interest in when.”

The former high mandarin on the Foreign Office stated it needed to put his foot all the way down to vet Peter Mandelson in any respect.

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

“The risks attending his appointment were well known and had been made clear to the Prime Minister before appointment. Now, in the end, the FCDO insisted and put its foot down.”

Sir Olly Robbins has stated when he took up his put up as the highest official within the Foreign Office that No 10 had stated they needed Peter Mandelson to be in put up as “quickly as humanly possible”.

“The very first formal communication of this to my predecessor from No 10 private office, being that they wanted all this done at pace and Mandelson in post before inauguration.”

He added: “So that’s the situation I faced. So I’m afraid what that translated into for my team in the Foreign Office – and certainly the handover briefing I was getting as I arrived at post – was what I felt was a generally dismissive attitude to his vetting clearance.”

Sir Olly Robbins has stated he was topic to a “very, very strong expectation” from Downing Street that Lord Mandelson needs to be appointed as quickly as doable.

He stated that upon arriving as everlasting under-secretary on 20 January final 12 months, he “wasn’t walking into a vacuum” and arrived to a due diligence report that had assessed his reputational dangers and health for workplace.

At the time, Lord Mandelson’s identify had been submitted to the King and had been given low-classification IT and entry to the constructing.

He stated: “So I’m afraid I walked into a situation in which there was already a very, very strong expectation, and you will have seen the papers released already under the humble address, coming from No 10 that he needed to be in post and in America as quickly as humanly possibly.”

Former Foreign Office official Sir Olly Robbins stated there was a “dismissive approach” to vetting from No 10 in Lord Mandelson’s case.

Sir Olly has been blamed by Downing Street for not alerting ministers that UK Security Vetting (UKSV) really helpful towards Peter Mandelson being granted safety clearance.He is now giving proof to the Foreign Affairs Committee, however stated in a letter earlier than that there was an “atmosphere of pressure” across the appointment.