During a recent session in the House of Commons, Emily Thornberry caused a stir by using explicit language while Olly Robbins, a dismissed senior civil servant, was providing testimony on the Peter Mandelson vetting controversy. Sky News, airing the hearing live, issued an apology to viewers following Thornberry’s use of inappropriate language.
The incident unfolded when Liberal Democrat Richard Foord mentioned a conversation where strong language was used, prompting Thornberry to interject, suggesting that Foord should elaborate further. Thornberry was then heard expressing a forceful directive. In response, Robbins acknowledged the pressure and dismissiveness he perceived during the handover from his predecessor, Philip Barton.
A Sky presenter later apologized for any offense caused by the language used during the live coverage, emphasizing the nature of the ongoing evidence hearing at the Foreign Affairs Select Committee. Robbins faced dismissal after Keir Starmer discovered that he had failed to inform him about Mandelson’s vetting failure for the US Ambassador role. Starmer disclosed that officials deliberately chose not to brief him on this matter.
During the hearing, Robbins clarified that the official documents did not mandate Mandelson’s vetting, pointing out discrepancies in the subsequent announcements regarding the vetting process.