Sacked Foreign Office chief accuses Downing Street of dismissive stance in Peter Mandelson scandal

On 2026-04-21, former Foreign Office chief Olly Robbins told the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee that there had been political pressure from Keir Starmer's private office to rush Peter Mandelson's appointment as British ambassador to the United States. He said there was an atmosphere of pressure and dismissive treatment of the vetting process amid the appointment controversy.