Former Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office permanent secretary Sir Olly Robbins has submitted a legal challenge over his dismissal amid the Peter Mandelson vetting scandal, his union has said.
The FDA announced today that Robbins has issued proceedings requesting a judicial review of his dismissal, arguing that the reasons given to him for the firing were “irrational”.
Robbins’ court submissions claim that the prime minister has no statutory authority to sack the head of the diplomatic service, and that there was “no fair procedure” or “process at all” in his dismissal.
Robbins said: “I bring this action reluctantly. It would have been unnecessary if the prime minister had simply apologised for his mistake and made amends for the distress and cost it has caused me and my family.
“Instead, I now have to ask the courts to determine that the prime minister’s decisions were unlawful, unreasonable and to quash them.”
The FDA also called on Starmer to admit that sacking Robbins was “a mistake” based on “a grievous misunderstanding” of how the national security setting system worked and “a rash response to a media story”.
Robbins was dramatically sacked by PM Keir Starmer in April after it emerged the FCDO had approved Peter Mandelson’s appointment as the UK’s ambassador to Washington DC in spite of concerns thrown up by developed vetting checks.
His dismissal followed reports in The Guardian that the FCDo had 'overuled' advice from UK Security & Vetting to grant Mandelson DV status.
In evidence given to the Foreign Affairs Committee the following week, Robbins said his department had not overuled UKSV but had followed proper process to make its own assessment with "rigorous" independence.
Mandelson's security approval came weeks after he had already been announced as Starmer’s choice for the ambassador job.
Last month, reports emerged that Robbins could return to government when Andy Burnham becomes prime minister.