Skip to main contentSkip to navigation Close dialogue1/1 Next image Previous image Toggle captionSkip to navigation Robbins said when he took up his post the appointment of Mandelson had already been decided. Photograph: PRU/AFP/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Robbins said when he took up his post the appointment of Mandelson had already been decided. Photograph: PRU/AFP/Getty Images Starmer still faces more questions than answers after Olly Robbins’ quietly damning defenceJohn Crace Sacked civil servant told Commons committee there was pressure from No 10 to approve appointment of Mandelson Well, what would you do? You’re a top civil servant with more than 25 years of government service. You’ve worked for Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Theresa May. You went through Brexit hell as a lead negotiator. You were sacked by Boris Johnson and were then brought back by Keir Starmer.You land a plum job as permanent undersecretary in the Foreign Office and do your boss a favour by appointing his man as ambassador to the US. You’ve already got a knighthood; that peerage is only a matter of time away. Then it all blows up in your face and the prime minister sacks you and trashes your reputation in parliament.Call it the revenge of the nerd. On Monday we had the case for the prosecution during Keir Starmer’s…
Published: April 21, 2026 4:48 pm
Source: The Guardian — Read original