Sir Olly Robbins reaches settlement with government over sacking

The government has finalized an out-of-court settlement with Sir Olly Robbins, the former permanent under-secretary at the Foreign Office, after he challenged his dismissal over the vetting of Lord Mandelson. The agreement, announced on Friday, 16 October 2026, draws a line under a high-stakes legal battle that saw the senior civil servant apply for a judicial review in the high court.

Sir Olly was removed from his post in April by then Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer after disclosures revealed that Foreign Office officials had overruled a recommendation from UK Security Vetting to deny security clearance to Lord Mandelson. The peer had been announced as ambassador in December 2024, before in-depth vetting had been carried out, and formally took up the post in February 2025. Subsequent revelations regarding his friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein prompted his sacking in September 2025. Sir Keir defended the dismissal of Sir Olly by telling MPs that he was "furious" he had not been informed of the vetting warnings at the time and stating that he did not accept the official's explanation.

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Legal submissions brought by the FDA union on behalf of Sir Olly argued that the dismissal lacked statutory authority, fair procedure, and proper process, characterizing the justifications provided as irrational. Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA, stated that the ordeal had badly fractured relations between ministers and civil servants. LBC reported comments from former permanent secretary Lord McDonald, who asserted that Number 10 wanted a scalp and wanted it quickly rather than pursuing a fair process. Allies also suggested the former mandarin was being made a scapegoat for Mandelson’s hiring.

Financial details of the settlement have not been officially confirmed by the government, though Aol, The Guardian, and The Independent noted widespread reports placing the figure in the six-figure bracket. The settlement follows earlier scrutiny over senior exit packages, including the record payout of nearly £860,000 given to former cabinet secretary Sir Chris Wormald after he left his post.

The resolution arrives amid broader scrutiny of Downing Street's handling of senior personnel and security protocols. While government spokespeople declined to comment further on human resources matters—noting only that Sir Olly enjoyed a distinguished public service career spanning three decades—critics maintain that fundamental questions regarding ministerial involvement in national security vetting remain unresolved.

Attention now turns to whether the government will issue further clarifications concerning the boundaries of civil service confidentiality and ministerial oversight following the conclusion of the judicial review proceedings.