Sir Olly Robbins to Present His Account in Parliament
Sir Olly Robbins, the former lead civil servant at the Foreign Office who was dismissed by the prime minister and foreign secretary last week, is scheduled to present his side of the story in Parliament this morning.
Having served as the permanent under secretary at the Foreign Office since January 2025, Sir Olly was removed from his position last Thursday evening after the prime minister discovered that he had not informed him about Lord Peter Mandelson failing the vetting process required for the UK's ambassadorial appointment in Washington.
Sir Olly is anticipated to defend his decision not to disclose this information to Sir Keir Starmer. Sources indicate that he is both bruised and upset by the loss of his job and the repeated, personal criticisms directed at his conduct.
"Olly doesn't do personal. He never has and he never will."
A friend of Sir Olly shared this statement with the BBC, highlighting a contrast between Sir Olly's feelings and how he believes he has been treated.
Context of Sir Olly's Decision
Sir Olly is expected to explain to the committee the circumstances surrounding his initial decision. He will likely emphasize that Lord Mandelson's appointment as ambassador had already been publicly announced and that, based on his interpretation of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act, 2010, he was not authorized to disclose the results of the UK Security Vetting process.
However, the prime minister's allies maintain, as Sir Keir outlined in the House of Commons on Monday, that their interpretation of the law differs significantly. They argue that Sir Olly could and should have shared the vetting information with ministers.
Supporters of Sir Keir express difficulty understanding why Sir Olly, after initially deciding against sharing the information, maintained that position even following Lord Mandelson's dismissal and subsequent inquiries into the appointment process.
Committee's Reaction and Key Questions
Dame Emily Thornberry, chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, has expressed strong dissatisfaction with Sir Olly for not disclosing what he knew when the committee specifically questioned him about Lord Mandelson's vetting.
A critical issue ahead of the committee's questioning is whether Sir Olly acknowledges having shared any of the information he possessed with others. If so, the committee seeks to establish with whom he communicated and what details he chose to reveal or withhold.
The prime minister hopes that Sir Olly's testimony will support the argument that there were multiple opportunities for him to be informed, which were not utilized.
Upcoming Parliamentary Debate and Reflections
Following the committee session with Sir Olly, the House of Commons will hold another debate on the matter, initiated by the Conservative Party.
Reflecting on suggestions that the entire British state apparatus was being mobilized against Sir Olly, an ally commented last night:
"That's exactly how it feels."
