Sir Olly Robbins, the former top civil servant at the Foreign Office, has been giving evidence to MPs on the foreign affairs committee about his role in vetting Lord Mandelson to be the UK’s ambassador to the US.
It comes after Sir Olly was effectively sacked last week after it emerged his department had granted the peer security clearance for the role in January 2025, despite concerns raised by vetting officials.
Lord Mandelson formally took up the role the following month, but was sacked seven months later over his ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Here are the key points from his evidence to the committee.
