Oral Answers to Questions

Robin Swann Excerpts

Tuesday 21st April 2026 Commons Chamber

[Yvette Cooper]

I am glad that my hon. Friend raises this issue. In Berlin last week with my German, French, US, EU and African Union co-hosts, we called for an urgent ceasefire, a humanitarian truce and humanitarian access. It is deeply distressing that this conflict is continuing. Participants also pledged over £1 billion to support the humanitarian response, which includes £146 million of UK humanitarian funding this year for Sudan and an increase in the support given to local aid groups. However, it is desperately urgent that we get a ceasefire, because it is the worst humanitarian crisis of the 21st century.

[Robin Swann (South Antrim) (UUP)]

T2. The Foreign Secretary has paid tribute to Sir Olly Robbins on a number of occasions. In that case, can I ask what the grounds were for his dismissal and what was contained in his dismissal letter? Was he allowed to state a case against his sacking?

[Yvette Cooper]

As the Prime Minister set out yesterday, we believe that Ministers should have been informed that the UK Security Vetting recommendation was against granting developed vetting to Peter Mandelson. That is significant and important information. It should have been disclosed to the Prime Minister at the time, and it should certainly have been disclosed to me at the time when I was answering specific questions from the Select Committee that were particularly about security concerns and what the response had been to them. Again, as the Prime Minister has said, he spoke to Sir Olly before making the decision.