LONDON, April 21 – A dismissed senior British foreign ministry leader testified Tuesday that the Prime Minister’s office subjected him to relentless pressure to expedite Peter Mandelson’s security clearance for the U.S. ambassador position.
Olly Robbins informed a parliamentary committee that there existed a “very strong” expectation for Mandelson to assume his diplomatic role without delay.
“The focus was on getting Mandelson out to Washington quickly,” he testified.
Robbins described the intense atmosphere surrounding the appointment process during his committee appearance. “I think throughout January, honestly, my office, the foreign secretary’s office, were under constant pressure,” he explained. “There was an atmosphere of constant chasing.”
