Starmer denies pressuring a British official over the appointment of Mandelson

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted that his office did not pressure Olly Robbins, a senior Foreign Office official, to speed up approval of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador, casting doubt on a key aspect of the official’s testimony before a parliamentary committee a day earlier.

Starmer said in the “Prime Minister’s Questioning” session in the House of Commons on Wednesday, “There was no pressure related to this issue,” according to Bloomberg News Agency.

Olly Robbins, who was sacked by Starmer last week, told the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday that he faced a “climate of pressure” from the Prime Minister’s Office to finalize Mandelson’s appointment shortly after he took up the senior Foreign Office job in early 2025.

Robbins also accused the Prime Minister’s Office of taking a “dismissive approach” to the background check process, another charge rejected by Starmer.

“There has been no dismissive approach to vetting,” the Prime Minister said, referring to the process that individuals seeking a high level of security clearance must undergo.