John McTernan on Mandelson scandal: We’re policing a political crime

The former political secretary to Tony Blair has said Sir Olly Robbins has been “sacked for doing what the Prime Minister told him to do.”

Speaking on GB News, he said: “I never, ever knew Tony Blair to be unfair in his treatment of any staff, political or civil servants but then he knew what his political project was.

“He always knew going into an issue where he was going to be on the way out.

“We’re not policing a thought crime; we’re policing a political crime. The crime was the appointment.

“Today has been successful from Number 10’s point of view, we’ve all been talking about the process.

“Doesn’t matter what the process was. The intention was to appoint, the man was appointed. The intention was to get the King to endorse the appointment, which happened.

“And then what’s the vetting for? You’ve clearly made a decision. You don’t want any information.

“The political crime is the appointment when you knew what you knew about this man.

“This was always going to be a disaster, and Keir Starmer is living with the consequences very slowly, but living with the damage of his decision.

“Keir Starmer kept complaining about the Civil Service not delivering. So first he goes, you’re not delivering and then he makes a decision, and Olly Robbins goes, ‘Okay, I’ll make this smooth. It’ll come through quickly’.

“And then Olly Robbins gets sacked for doing what the Prime Minister told him to do.”