- Sir Olly Robbins, the most senior civil servant in the Foreign Office, was sacked this week after approving Peter Mandelson's security clearance for the US ambassador role despite security services' recommendations against it.
- Lord Simon McDonald, a former permanent secretary at the Foreign Office, accused Downing Street of throwing Sir Olly "under the bus" and seeking a "scalp" quickly.
- Lord McDonald described the incident as the "biggest crisis in the diplomatic service" since he joined in 1982.
- He argued that the vetting process is often nuanced and that Sir Olly was following legal procedures by maintaining confidentiality regarding the details.
- Downing Street claimed the prime minister only learned of Mandelson's clearance against advice on Tuesday, despite The Independent reporting concerns to No 10 seven months prior.
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