Robbins says through the FDA union:
‘The FDA represents Sir Oliver Robbins. Olly has today issued proceedings requesting a Judicial Review of his dismissal as Permanent Under-Secretary of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Head of the Diplomatic Service.
The Prime Minister has acknowledged that his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as Ambassador to the United States in December 2024 was a mistake. He should also admit that sacking Olly was a mistake, based on a grievous misunderstanding of how the National Security Vetting (NSV) system worked and a rash response to a media story.
A point of principle is at stake, which affects all FDA members. It damages the core values of a professional and impartial civil service if its most senior officials can be dismissed on a Prime Ministerial whim, without even the semblance of a fair process or considered understanding of the core issue.
Olly’s submission to the Court is that:
The Prime Minister has asserted publicly that it was his decision to dismiss Olly, however the Prime Minister has no statutory authority to dismiss the Head of the Diplomatic Service;
Not only was there no fair procedure involved in his dismissal, there was no process at all; and
Insofar as Olly has been given reasons for his dismissal, they are irrational. Rather than being under a duty to tell ministers about the process leading up to the vetting decision, Olly was under an obligation not to. The process is independent of government ministers, who are only informed of the final outcome. This position was confirmed in a letter of 16 September 2025 that was signed by the Foreign Secretary, using text both drafted and approved by No.10.
Following the request for Judicial Review of his dismissal, Olly said:
“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.”’
Will Burnham hand him a new job next week?
An excruciating morning round for Pat McFadden. First on Times Radio, where he was asked three times if it was “fair” for Starmer to sack Olly Robbins. Eventually, the blood from a stone answer came:
“Look, of course as a Cabinet member, I support the Prime Minister’s decisions. He took the decision he couldn’t continue with Olly Robbins in post because he viewed the material that had been withheld from him, not shared with him, as really important in making his decision…”
Then on Sky News, it turned out McFadden hadn’t even asked Number 10 if it was true that Starmer asked for an ambassadorship for Matthew Doyle. It took almost three minutes for an answer to emerge:
“No, because I don’t think the Prime Minister would be in the position of picking up a phone on a personnel matter like that…”
You know it’s bad when even Pat McFadden is dropping word salads…
Olly Robbins is out at the FCDO. The runners and riders:
There were some suggestions swirling around the FCDO that the next permanent secretary should be a woman seeing as none had ever occupied the role. Sources say David Lammy was keen on the idea when he held the Foreign Secretary post…
Olly Robbins has just revealed that Downing Street tried to find an ambassadorial job for Starmer’s then-Comms chief Matthew Doyle. And instructed Robbins not to tell David Lammy, who happened to be the Foreign Secretary…
“There were several discussions initiated by Number 10 with me about potentially finding a head of mission opportunity for Matthew Doyle, who was then the Number 10 Head of Communications, and I was under strict instruction not to discuss that with the then-Foreign Secretary which was uncomfortable. But the context here […] I was still in my early months in the job, but I’d already concluded […] that the Foreign Office needed quite serious reform… I found it very hard to think how I would explain to the office what the credentials were of Matthew Doyle to be in an important head of mission role…”
Robbins stressed repeatedly the point that he was “uncomfortable” finding a job for Doyle given his lack of credentials. Of course it would later emerge that Doyle campaigned for convicted sex offender Sean Morton, which Number 10 seemed sanguine about…
Olly Robbins is offering his “blockbuster” defence against Starmer at the Foreign Affairs Select Committee right now. Round two…
Labour sources are bullish on Starmer’s chances after this first round showdown with Olly Robbins. He’s fighting for survival…
Starmer: “This statement will focus on the process surrounding Peter Mandelson’s vetting and appointment at the heart of this was a decision I made which was wrong. I apologise again to the victims of Epstein who were failed by my decision.”
PM claims that the usual process is for UKSV vetting happen after a political appointment is announced and adds: “I simply do not accept that foreign office officials could not have told me of UKSV’s recommendations.”
Starmer says former Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald wasn’t made aware of the failed vetting either when he conducted an investigation into the Mandelson saga in September.
Tom Baldwin, author of Starmer’s hagiography, spoke to Times Radio:
Tom Baldwin: “I think he’d like to do something. He’s very dutiful and driven by service. That’s why he came into politics. I think that’s characterised his time as prime minister. He hasn’t always sought popularity or been good at being popular. But I think he has some of the necessary qualities that we actually do want in a prime minister. That resilience, that relentlessness, that ability to carry the weight and the job really does weigh very heavily on people and he carries that weight very, very well.”
Jo Coburn: “NATO Secretary-General?”
Tom Baldwin: “I think that’s something that he would be interested in. I think it probably requires Andy Burnham’s government to support him in that and these are some of the questions which Andy Burnham has to resolve quite quickly.”