UK Foreign Office Chief Dismissed Over Undisclosed Security Failure in US Ambassador Appointment

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has dismissed the top civil servant at the Foreign Office after it emerged that a failed security vetting for a key diplomatic appointment was not disclosed to ministers.

The official, Olly Robbins, was removed from his position following a direct call from Starmer, who said he had “lost confidence” in him. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper supported the decision. Speaking in Paris, Starmer expressed strong frustration, stating that neither he nor other ministers had been informed of the failed vetting.

At the centre of the controversy is Peter Mandelson, who was appointed ambassador to the United States in December 2024 and took up the post in February 2025. Despite failing a security clearance check, he was allowed to assume the role, reportedly against advice from the Cabinet Office.

Mandelson was later dismissed in September 2025 after documents released by a U.S. congressional investigation into Jeffrey Epstein revealed correspondence between the two.

The issue has prompted further political scrutiny. Emily Thornberry, chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, has called on Robbins to testify before lawmakers. She indicated that Parliament may not yet have the full account of events, raising questions about whether Robbins acted independently or under instruction when he failed to disclose the vetting outcome.

The British government maintains that Starmer had no prior knowledge of the security lapse, intensifying concerns over transparency and accountability in senior diplomatic appointments.