Starmer says Robbins evidence ‘puts to bed’ claims that he misled MPs

Sir Keir Starmer has said the evidence of a sacked senior civil servant around Lord Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador “puts to bed all the allegations levelled at me” after claims that he misled Parliament.

Former Foreign Office chief Sir Olly Robbins was sacked by the Prime Minister last week after it emerged he did not tell Sir Keir that Lord Mandelson had been cleared to take the top diplomatic post despite security vetting officials recommending against it.

On Tuesday, Sir Olly confirmed the Government’s story to a committee of MPs, but said there was a “dismissive approach” on vetting from No 10 and an “atmosphere of pressure” to get Lord Mandelson’s appointment over the line.

The leaders of opposition parties have called for the Prime Minister to resign for misleading MPs about the appointment process, as news that Lord Mandelson was cleared for the Washington posting against the recommendation of security officials appeared to contradict his prior statements that due process was followed.

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir was asked by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch whether he stood by his previous statements to the Commons that due process had been followed in the appointment.

The Prime Minister replied that he did, adding: “Yesterday, Sir Olly Robbins was asked if he shared that decision with me, No 10 or any other ministers. He gave a clear answer: no. That puts to bed all the allegations levelled at me by those opposite in relation to dishonesty.

“Last week, they were all saying that it must have been shared with me. Sir Olly was very clear yesterday, it was not. I believe not sharing it was a serious error of judgment.

“That information should have been shared with me and other ministers, and if it had have been, Mandelson would not have been committed to post.”

Mrs Badenoch said Sir Keir should quit for failing to follow the recommendation to get security clearance for Lord Mandelson before making the appointment.

She said: “We all heard Sir Olly Robbins’ testimony yesterday.

“The head of the Foreign Office was sacked for the Prime Minister’s own failings.

“His backbenchers know that is not fair.

“Even his most loyal Cabinet members won’t defend it.

“The Prime Minister did not follow the process the cabinet secretary set out in November 2024, he knows he did not follow due process, yet he told the House he had.

“I cannot accuse the Prime Minister of deliberately misleading the House, but everyone can see what has happened here.

“This was not due process.

“Everyone knows the price of misleading the House.

“Will the Prime Minister finally take responsibility and go?”

But Sir Keir defended his decision to sack Sir Olly, saying he should have been told about the “red flags” raised by the UK Security Vetting agency.

“Before Mandelson took up his post, UKSV recommended with red flags that clearance should be denied and there was high concern,” Sir Keir said.

“That that was not brought to my attention, or the attention of the foreign secretary at the time, or subsequently, is a very serious error of judgment.

“And anyone in my position would have lost confidence in the former permanent secretary.”

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden, a close ally of the Prime Minister, repeatedly declined to say the decision to sack Sir Olly was fair.

Mr McFadden said he thought “very highly” of Sir Olly but told Times Radio: “I think if the Prime Minister’s made the judgment that he’s not got confidence in the head of the Foreign Office, the head of the foreign service, then it’s difficult to continue.”

Asked for a second time if it was fair, Mr McFadden said: “Look, it’s the Prime Minister’s judgment.”

When he was asked the same question again, Mr McFadden said: “As a Cabinet member, I support the Prime Minister’s decisions.”

Elsewhere in his appearance at Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir would not deny that Downing Street considered giving his former spin doctor Matthew Doyle a diplomatic job.

The Prime Minister said there were “often conversations about other roles” when staff leave roles “in any organisation” as he faced scrutiny over claims made by Sir Olly that No 10 had initiated discussions with him about potentially finding an ambassadorship for ex-communications chief Lord Doyle.

Lord Doyle had the Labour whip withdrawn earlier this year after it emerged he had campaigned on behalf of a friend who had been charged with possessing indecent images of children.

The peer apologised for backing then councillor Sean Morton before the case against him had concluded, saying he believed the paedophile’s assertions of innocence before Morton later admitted the offending.

Lord Doyle, who stepped down as the Prime Minister’s communications chief last March, said in a statement on Tuesday he had “never sought” a head of mission, ambassador “or any equivalent leadership-type posting”.