Sir Olly Robbins ‘desperately sad’ to be sacked over Mandelson vetting process

Sir Olly Robbins appeared before the committee (PA Wire/PA Images) - (PA Wire)

The former top official at the Foreign Office has said he is “desperately sad” about being sacked over the failure to disclose Lord Peter Mandelson’s failed security checks and does not “fully understand” why it happened.

Sir Olly Robbins, who was sacked by Sir Keir Starmer last week, said he is “intensely proud” of his former colleagues and wished he “could still be with them”.