Sacked civil servant to speak out in Mandelson vetting row

"Sir Olly Robbins is expected to defend his decision not to tell Sir Keir Starmer and is understood to be bruised and upset at both losing his job and the loud, repeated and personal criticisms of his conduct."

"A friend of Sir Olly told the BBC, in apparent contrast with how he feels he has been treated: 'Olly doesn't do personal. He never has and he never will.'"

"Robbins is likely to set out to the committee the context in which his initial decision was taken, arguing that he was not authorized to share the conclusions of the UK Security Vetting process."

"The chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, Dame Emily Thornberry, is furious with Sir Olly for failing to disclose what he knew to the committee when they asked specifically about Lord Mandelson's vetting."

Sir Olly Robbins, former lead civil servant at the Foreign Office, was sacked after failing to inform the prime minister about Lord Mandelson's vetting failure for ambassador. He plans to defend his actions in Parliament, feeling bruised by the criticism. Robbins argues that the law did not authorize him to share vetting conclusions, while the prime minister's allies disagree. The chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee expressed anger over Robbins' lack of disclosure regarding Mandelson's vetting when questioned.

Read at www.bbc.com