THE former Foreign Office chief sacked by Sir Keir Starmer over Peter Mandelson’s security vetting has submitted a legal challenge over his dismissal.

Sir Olly Robbins’s judicial review application alleges the PM had no statutory authority to dismiss him as the head of the diplomatic service, that there was “no fair procedure” and “no process at all,” the FDA union representing him said in a statement.

It added that Sir Olly was given only “irrational” reasons for being fired after questions were raised over the vetting of Lord Mandelson for his post as ambassador to the US in April.

Sir Keir sacked Sir Olly after the Guardian reported he had failed a background check, but that officials in the Foreign Office took the rare step of overruling this to clear his appointment anyway.

The PM claimed he had not been aware the former Labour grandee was granted developed vetting against the advice of UK Security Vetting.

The FDA said that the sacking was based on a “grievous misunderstanding” of how vetting works which “is independent of government ministers, who are only informed of the final outcome.”

They say this position was confirmed in a letter in September 2025 signed by the Foreign Secretary and using text drafted and approved by Downing Street.

Sir Olly said: “I bring this action reluctantly. It would have been unnecessary if the Prime Minister had simply apologised for his mistake and made amends for the distress and cost it has caused me and my family.

“Instead, I now have to ask the courts to determine that the Prime Minister’s decisions were unlawful, unreasonable and to quash them.”