Olly Robbins launches legal challenge after dismissal as Foreign Office head

Olly Robbins and Keir StarmerThe former top civil servant Olly Robbins has launched a legal challenge over his sacking by Keir Starmer.The former permanent secretary at the Foreign Office was fired during the scandal surrounding Peter Mandelson’s appointment as the UK’s ambassador to the US.It emerged in April this year that Robbins had not told ministers of vetting officials’ concerns about giving Mandelson the top job back in early 2025.As the top civil servant in the Foreign Office at the time, Robbins still gave the then-Labour peer top security clearance, paving the way for him to become the Washington attache.Amid heightened scrutiny around the vetting process, Starmer was quick to lay the blame at Robbins’ feet.The prime minister told the Commons it “beggars belief” he was not told that Mandelson had not been cleared by UK Security Vetting before being appointed the UK’s ambassador to Washington.He claimed there was nothing which would have stopped Robbins from telling ministers about security worries around Mandelson.The PM said Robbins had therefore lost his confidence and was to be sacked.The former civil servant has since claimed he was legally prevented from offering further details about the vetting. According to the FDA union, which represents senior civil servants, Robbins is now requesting a judicial review of Starmer’s decision, claiming it was “unlawful” and “unreasonable”.The FDA said Robbins’ sacking was “based on a grievous misunderstanding of how the National Security Vetting system worked and a rash response to a media story”.He also argued that Starmer “has no statutory authority to dismiss the Head of the Diplomatic Service” and there was “no fair procedure involved in his dismissal”.Robbins claims he was under an “obligation” not to reveal the results of the vetting process with ministers.He wrote in a statement: “I bring this action reluctantly. It would have been unnecessary if the prime minister had simply apologised for his mistake and made amends for the distress and cost it has caused me and my family.“Instead, I now have to ask the courts to determine that the prime minister’s decisions were unlawful, unreasonable and to quash them.”Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.Related...5 Bombshell Revelations As Sacked Civil Servant Piles More Pressure On StarmerEx-Minister Jess Phillips Says She Threatened To Quit Over Peter MandelsonPeter Mandelson Attacked Keir Starmer's No.10 Operation In Brutal Private Messages

Ex-FCDO top civil servant says he was given ‘irrational’ reasons for firing amid Peter Mandelson vetting scandalUK politics live – latest updatesOlly Robbins, the former Foreign Office chief sacked by Keir Starmer over the Peter Mandelson security vetting scandal, has submitted a legal challenge over his dismissal.Robbins was requesting a judicial review after he was removed as the top civil servant at the Foreign Office, the FDA Union representing him said in a statement. Continue reading...

Sir Olly Robbins, who was removed as top civil servant at the Foreign Office, claims that Sir Keir Starmer has no statutory authority to dismiss him.

The FDA Union, representing Sir Olly, said Sir Keir Starmer should ‘admit that sacking Olly was a mistake’

Sir Olly Robbins, who was removed as top civil servant at the Foreign Office, claims that Sir Keir Starmer has no statutory authority to dismiss him.

Sir Olly Robbins was sacked after it emerged Peter Mandelson did not pass crucial security checks to become US ambassador