"It's just total self-serving, narrow, selfish, political endgame stuff, said one supporter of Robbins, who was dismissed for failing to tell the prime minister that the now disgraced former US ambassador Peter Mandelson had not passed UK security vetting."
"But on the political side, civil servants have expressed incredulity and anger at what they see as the prime minister being blindsided by another Mandelson-related bomb."
"The net effect is a chilling one. Why will we do anything vaguely risky that ministers want if we think they won't have our backs if it goes wrong? one mid-ranking official said."
"Any goodwill towards a Labour administration that existed after 14 years of the Conservatives appears to have evaporated in light of the perceived brutality of the way Robbins and Wormald have been treated."
The dismissal of Olly Robbins by Keir Starmer has ignited significant anger among civil servants in Whitehall. Robbins was removed for not informing the prime minister about Peter Mandelson's failed security vetting. Many in the civil service believe Robbins acted in accordance with No 10's wishes. The incident has further strained the relationship between the prime minister and civil servants, leading to concerns about the willingness to take risks in the future. The treatment of Robbins and the recent ousting of cabinet secretary Chris Wormald has diminished goodwill towards the Labour administration.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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