Government settles with sacked Foreign Office chief Olly Robbins before judicial review
The government has settled out of court with Olly Robbins, the Foreign Office head sacked by Keir Starmer over Peter Mandelson's vetting. The Guardian reports a believed six-figure payout.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2The government has reached an out-of-court settlement with Olly Robbins, the senior civil servant who challenged his sacking by Keir Starmer over Peter Mandelson's security vetting. Evening StandardN “The Government has reached an out-of-court settlement with a senior civil servant who challenged his sacking by Sir Keir Starmer over Lord Peter Mandelson’s security vetting.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ The GuardianLC “has received a six-figure payout from the government over his dismissal.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Centre · 1The FDA union, which represented Robbins, announced the settlement on Friday 16 October. Evening StandardN “The FDA union, which represented him in the challenge, announced on Friday that the Government had chosen to settle out of court.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Left · 1Robbins had been removed as the top civil servant at the Foreign Office in April and had applied to the high court for a judicial review of the prime minister's decision. The GuardianLC “Robbins had applied to the high court for a judicial review of the prime minister’s decision to remove him as the top civil servant at the Foreign Office after he was dismissed in April.” Read at The Guardian ↗
Left · 1According to the Guardian, he was removed after its disclosure that he had overturned a recommendation from UK Security Vetting (UKSV) to deny clearance for Mandelson. The GuardianLC “He was removed from his post by Starmer after the Guardian’s disclosure that he had overturned a recommendation from UK Security Vetting (UKSV) to deny clearance for Mandelson.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Centre · 1Robbins said he was grateful for the support of former colleagues, friends and strangers, thanked the FDA for its help in reaching the settlement, and said he was looking forward to moving on to the next chapter of his life. Evening StandardN “I want to thank the FDA for their assistance in reaching this settlement and I am looking forward to moving on to the next chapter of my life.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Left · 1The Guardian reports the payout is believed to be six figures, though not as large as the record £860,000 given to former cabinet secretary Chris Wormald; it says the government will ultimately have to publish the sum. The GuardianLC “which is believed to be six figures but not as much as the record £860,000 given to former cabinet secretary Chris Wormald after he was forced out by Starmer after just a year in post.” Read at The Guardian ↗
Left · 1FDA general secretary Dave Penman said the affair had damaged the bond of trust between civil servants and ministers, described the sacking as the scapegoating of Robbins to mask the previous prime minister's misjudgment, and urged the government to clarify ministerial involvement in vetting. The GuardianLC “The scapegoating of Sir Oliver, to mask the misjudgment of the previous prime minister, marked one of the lowest points in the recent history of civil service-ministerial relations”“We urge the government to clarify quickly the issues raised by this affair over ministerial involvement in the vetting process.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Left · 1At the time, Downing Street said Robbins had lost the confidence of Starmer and then foreign secretary Yvette Cooper over his handling of the vetting. The GuardianLC “Downing Street said Robbins had lost the confidence of Starmer and Yvette Cooper, then foreign secretary, due to his handling of the vetting of Mandelson” Read at The Guardian ↗ Left · 1Robbins's legal submission argued Starmer had no statutory authority to dismiss him, that there was 'no fair procedure', and that the reasons given were 'irrational'; the Commons foreign affairs committee has said his dismissal seems to have been taken without full due process. The GuardianLC “Robbins’ legal submission had made the case that Starmer had no statutory authority to dismiss him as the head of the diplomatic service”“seems to have been taken without full due process and the establishment of the facts” Read at The Guardian ↗
Left · 1The Guardian adds that questions remain over Robbins's defence of his actions and over how the national security establishment vets people. The GuardianLC “Questions remain about the defence Robbins mounted, both of his own actions and the system through which the national security establishment vets people” Read at The Guardian ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Detailed Guardian report led by the six-figure payout, with background on the vetting row and support for Robbins within Whitehall.
- Emphasis
- Payout size, FDA criticism, committee finding of inadequate due process, unanswered vetting questions.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not carry a government response to the settlement.
- Charged language
- “scapegoating”
- For example
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“Six-figure payout for senior civil servant sacked over Peter Mandelson vetting” — The Guardian
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Brief report of the out-of-court settlement and Robbins's statement.
- Emphasis
- The settlement announcement by the FDA and Robbins's thanks.
- Leaves out or plays down
- No payout figure, FDA criticism or detail of the legal arguments.
- For example
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“The FDA union, which represented him in the challenge, announced on Friday that the Government had chosen to settle out of court.” — Evening Standard
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- The government settled out of court with Olly Robbins.
- Robbins was sacked as top civil servant at the Foreign Office by Keir Starmer over Peter Mandelson's vetting.
- The FDA union represented him and he thanked it in a statement.
Olly Robbins person
Thanks supporters and the FDA and says he looks forward to moving on; his legal case argued the dismissal lacked authority and fair process.
“I am looking forward to moving on to the next chapter of my life.” — Evening Standard
Keir Starmer person
Dismissed Robbins in April; Downing Street said he had lost the confidence of Starmer and Yvette Cooper over his handling of the vetting.
“Downing Street said Robbins had lost the confidence of Starmer and Yvette Cooper, then foreign secretary, due to his handling of the vetting of Mandelson” — The Guardian
Left1 article
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Six-figure payout for senior civil servant sacked over Peter Mandelson vetting
Sympathetic Reports the payout and gives weight to Robbins's legal case, union criticism and Whitehall support.
Centre2 articles
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Government settles out of court after challenge by sacked Foreign Office chief
Neutral Short factual account of the settlement and Robbins's statement.
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Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 16 Oct 16:54 First Evening StandardN Government settles out of court after challenge by sacked Foreign Office chief
- 16 Oct 17:38 +44m BBC NewsN Ex-top official Robbins reaches settlement with government over sacking
- 16 Oct 17:44 +50m The GuardianLC Six-figure payout for senior civil servant sacked over Peter Mandelson vetting
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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