# Starmer picks a fight with the wrong guy

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-state-of-it-5218105/starmer-picks-a-fight-with-the-wrong-guy
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-state-of-it-5218105/starmer-picks-a-fight-with-the-wrong-guy.md
Podcast: [The State of It](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-state-of-it-5218105)
Published: 2026-04-21T14:58:16+00:00
Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/times-daily-world-briefing/episodes/starmer-vs-robbins-bombshell-after-bombshell
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/times-daily-world-briefing/e/69e768c56e5b90839a15eee7/media.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-state-of-it-5218105/episodes/starmer-picks-a-fight-with-the-wrong-guy
Duration seconds: 1903

## Resource

Sir Olly Robbins dropped bombshell after bombshell when he spoke to MPs. Robbins, who was sacked as the Foreign Office’s chief civil servant, has accused Downing Street of placing the department under constant pressure to get Lord Mandelson through vetting. He also said the prime minister had tried to find an ambassadorial job for Matthew Doyle, another Labour peer who's been in trouble for a friendship with a paedophile. Where does it all leave Sir Keir Starmer? Plus, we reveal when the next tranche of Mandelson files will be published. Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson Executive producer: Molly Guinness Picture credit: Parliament TV Audio credit: Parliament TV This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe  here . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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## Transcript

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