"Robbins stated, 'Throughout January, honestly, my office [and] the foreign secretary's office were under constant pressure. There was an atmosphere of constant chasing.'"
"'I reject the idea that any pressure is a good reason not to disclose to the prime minister that UKSV recommended against clearance for a very senior, sensitive appointment,' the prime minister asserted."
"'I regret that this process was not done before [the] announcement,' Robbins admitted, while maintaining that it would not have changed his decision."
"'If I had known before Peter Mandelson took up his post that the UKSV recommendation was that developed vetting clearance should be denied, I would not have gone ahead with the appointment,' Starmer stated."
Robbins experienced significant pressure to appoint Mandelson swiftly, leading him to overrule security clearance recommendations. He emphasized the urgency from both his office and the foreign secretary's office throughout January. Starmer acknowledged that pressure was applied to confirm the appointment but insisted it should not have influenced Robbins' decision. The prime minister rejected the notion that pressure justified not disclosing the UKSV's negative recommendation. Robbins expressed regret over the timing of the announcement but stood by his decision regarding Mandelson's security clearance.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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