Defiant Sir Keir Starmer stands by sacking of Olly Robbins – and signals intention to fight on | Politics News

Sir Keir Starmer has defended his decision to sack Olly Robbins over the vetting process for Peter Mandelson – saying the senior civil servant only faced the “everyday pressure of government”.

The prime minister fired Sir Olly last week over his decision not to tell him that the former Labour peer had failed security checks ahead of his appointment as ambassador to Washington in December 2024.

The former Foreign Office chief said there was an “atmosphere of pressure” and “constant chasing” from Downing Street while the vetting process was taking place.

However, Sir Keir said during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday that “no pressure existed whatsoever in relation to this case”.

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And, in an interview with The Sunday Times, the PM has said that he made a distinction between “different types of pressure”.

He said: “There’s pressure – ‘can we get this done quickly?’ – which is not an unusual pressure.

“That is the everyday pressure of government.”

Sir Keir said a pressure, “essentially, to disregard the security vetting element and give clearance”, would be something different, and that Sir Olly “was really clear in his mind that wasn’t pressure that was put on him”.

Asked if he regretted firing Sir Olly so quickly after information came to light about the vetting, Sir Keir said: “When there’s a double red flag not to give clearance [showing] high concern, then I’m sorry. I’m sorry.

“But I do not accept the argument that that is something which should not be told to the prime minister.”

Sir Keir said it was a “fundamental matter” to have told him about the vetting.

He also rejected a suggestion he could have been more curious about Mandelson’s clearance.

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He said: “When I’m told there’s security clearance, should I go back and quiz officials and say ‘are you telling me the truth?’.”

Questions over the vetting scandal will carry on into next week, when Morgan McSweeney, Sir Keir’s former chief of staff, is due to appear before committee of MPs.

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There have been calls for Sir Keir to resign over the Mandelson saga, and he is facing more pressure, with polls making grim reading for Labour ahead of May’s elections for English councils and the Scottish and Welsh parliaments.

However, he told The Sunday Times that he would stay on – and fight the next general election.