# @cgtneurope on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DXY_AoZmUIT
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/64320559-cgtneurope-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/4bf921eeef.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-04-21T10:29:37.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** CGTN Europe (@cgtneurope) — https://gondola.cc/cgtneurope

## Caption

Britain's former top Foreign Office official has told parliament that Downing Street pushed to rush Peter Mandelson's appointment as ambassador to Washington "as quickly as humanly possible" — before security vetting had been completed.⁣
⁣
Olly Robbins, who was fired last week over the decision, told the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee that government vetting officials considered Mandelson a "borderline case" and were "leaning toward recommending against" granting him security clearance. The Foreign Office cleared him anyway, with risk mitigation measures in place.⁣
⁣
Robbins said the concerns did not relate to Mandelson's ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.⁣
⁣
Robbins described "a generally dismissive attitude" to the vetting process and said pressure to move quickly came directly from the prime minister's office. Starmer, who fired Mandelson in September after nine months in the post, says he only learned of the failed vetting last week and called it "frankly staggering" that officials did not inform him. He is now facing calls to resign.⁣
⁣
#UK #Mandelson #Starmer #Epstein #EpsteinFiles

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 29
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 1

## Tags

starmer, mandelson, epsteinfiles, uk, epstein

---
Copyright (c) Gondola