See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy GREG HEFFER, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT Published: 12:10 BST, 25 June 2026 | Updated: 12:13 BST, 25 June 2026
Andy Burnham is reportedly poised to bring back a top Whitehall official who was sacked by Keir Starmer for waving through Peter Mandelson's security vetting.As he prepares to succeed Sir Keir as prime minister, Mr Burnham is said to be lining up Olly Robbins for a senior job in his administration.Sir Olly, who was Britain's Brexit negotiator when Theresa May was PM, was fired as the most senior civil servant at the Foreign Office by Sir Keir in April this year.His exit from Whitehall came after it was revealed Sir Olly had overruled a recommendation not to grant Lord Mandelson security clearance.Sir Olly has now been touted to make a dramatic return to Whitehall as Mr Burnham's national security adviser to replace Jonathan Powell in the role.Allies of Mr Burnham are said to believe Sir Olly is 'an outstanding operator' and have reached out to offer him a senior position.'Olly is incredibly well thought of by both Andy and the people around and influencing Andy's thinking,' a source told The Spectator.A return to Whitehall for Sir Olly might save Mr Burnham from having to sign off a large taxpayer-funded settlement over his sacking. Olly Robbins, who was Britain's Brexit negotiator when Theresa May was PM, was fired as the most senior civil servant at the Foreign Office by Keir Starmer in April this year Sir Olly's exit from Whitehall came after it was revealed he had overruled a recommendation not to grant Peter Mandelson security clearance Allies of Andy Burnham are said to believe Sir Olly is 'an outstanding operator' and have reached out to offer him a senior positionThe ex-Foreign Office chief is said to have been considering legal action against the Government for damage to his reputation. Drafting in Sir Olly to replace Mr Powell - widely seen as the architect of Sir Keir's deal to hand over the Chagos Islands - might also allow Mr Burnham to formally ditch the controversial sovereignty agreement.'That looks tailor-made for Olly,' a senior Whitehall source told the magazine of the national security adviser role.'Powell was to blame for the Chagos mess as well, so they can hang that round his neck.'After he sacked Sir Olly, Sir Keir said it was wrong for the senior official not to have told him the outcome of the so-called developed vetting process for Lord Mandelson.The PM also insisted he would not have gone ahead with appointing Lord Mandelson as Britain's ambassador to the US had he known.But Sir Olly said it was normal not to share the findings of the vetting process and described feeling under pressure to clear Lord Mandelson for the role.He also suggested there was a 'dismissive approach' to developed vetting from Downing Street, but insisted it was completed to the normal standard 'despite this atmosphere of pressure'.Downing Street rejected this, saying there is a distinction between 'the idea of pressure' and 'being kept informed about the process and the progress of the appointment'.Lord Mandelson was sacked as US ambassador by Sir Keir in September last year following further revelations about his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.The scandal over his appointment as Britain's top diplomat in Washington DC played a large part in Sir Keir's downfall as PM, with the Labour premier having announced his resignation in a tearful statement at the beginning of this week. Mr Burnham is almost certain to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as PM and could enter No10 as soon as July 17 if he's the only leadership candidate to be nominated by Labour MPs.
