politics
Starmer tells civil servants to speak 'truth to power' after vetting row
Key takeaways
- The letter comes after the sacking of former Foreign Office boss Sir Olly Robbins over his role in vetting Lord Mandelson to be the UK's ambassador to the US.
- Sir Olly was removed from his post last month after it emerged he had not told Sir Keir he had granted Lord Mandelson security clearance despite officials raising security concerns.
- Sir Keir told MPs he found it "staggering" that "officials in the Foreign Office saw fit to withhold this information" from ministers.
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
Joshua Nevett,Political reporterand Damian Grammaticas,Political correspondent PA Media Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has told civil servants he values them speaking "truth to power", in a letter that acknowledges an "unsettling" period for the civil service.
The letter comes after the sacking of former Foreign Office boss Sir Olly Robbins over his role in vetting Lord Mandelson to be the UK's ambassador to the US.
Sir Olly was removed from his post last month after it emerged he had not told Sir Keir he had granted Lord Mandelson security clearance despite officials raising security concerns.
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