"Robbins stated, 'I walked into a situation in which there was already a very, very strong expectation... they wanted all this done at pace and Mandelson in post before inauguration.'"
"'Downing Street took a dismissive attitude to vetting and Mandelson was given access to the Foreign Office building, low-classification IT and to higher-classification briefings before he was granted security clearance.'"
"'There had been a live debate about whether Mandelson should have to undergo any vetting before he was appointed... my predecessor had to be very firm in person for it to take place.'"
Oliver Robbins experienced significant pressure upon joining the Foreign Office to facilitate Peter Mandelson's swift appointment as the UK's ambassador to the US. The Cabinet Office urged the Foreign Office to expedite Mandelson's appointment without the standard vetting process, but the Foreign Office insisted on proceeding with vetting. Robbins confirmed that he did not inform No 10 about the initial decision regarding Mandelson's appointment. He noted that there was a strong expectation from Downing Street for Mandelson to be in position quickly, even before security vetting was completed.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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