Britain’s rulers and civil servants have shown themselves to be incompetent custodians of national security at a time when the UK is facing a live hybrid war from Russia, economic and security contagion from the Middle East, and subtle invasion by Chinese intelligence and business interests.
The spectacle of Olly Robbins, late of the Foreign Office, telling MPs that the Cabinet Office didn’t seem fussed whether or not Peter Mandelson had passed security vetting for the post of ambassador to Washington, will have caused our allies to splutter with horror.
