Mandelson vetting row: sacked civil servant speaks out

What this episode covers

The Foreign Office chief sacked over the Peter Mandelson security vetting scandal has finally given his side of the story in an explosive appearance before MPs. Olly Robbins told the foreign affairs select committee that he faced ‘constant pressure’ to get Mandelson in post as US ambassador as soon as possible, and claimed Downing Street took a ‘dismissive’ attitude to vetting. It came a day after Keir Starmer accused Robbins of ‘obstructing the truth’ about the vetting process in a high-stakes appearance in parliament. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s political editor, Pippa Crerar – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/infocus">theguardian.com/infocus</a>

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How long is this episode of Today in Focus?

This episode is 15 minutes long.

When was this Today in Focus episode published?

This episode was published on April 21, 2026.

What is this episode about?

The Foreign Office chief sacked over the Peter Mandelson security vetting scandal has finally given his side of the story in an explosive appearance before MPs. Olly Robbins told the foreign affairs select committee that he faced ‘constant pressure’...

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