Ex-top official Robbins reaches settlement with government over sacking

Image source, PA Media Image caption, Sir Olly Robbins was sacked as the top official in the Foreign Office in April

Sir Olly Robbins has reached an out-of-court settlement with the government, after he was sacked as the top civil servant in the Foreign Office over the vetting of Lord Mandelson to be US ambassador.

Sir Olly was fired by then Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer earlier this year, after it emerged Lord Mandelson had been granted clearance for the role despite concerns being raised by vetting officials.

The FDA union, which represented him in the legal action, said Sir Olly had been made a "scapegoat" to "mask the misjudgement" of Sir Keir.

How much Sir Olly received in the settlement has not been made public.

It came after he requested a judicial review over the decision to dismiss him.