Top Foreign Office official ‘felt pressure’ for ‘rapid outcome’ on Mandelson vetting

Ian Collard tells MPs he had not seen UKSV assessment summary before briefing Olly Robbins on clearance

A top Foreign Office security official who played a key role in the granting of Peter Mandelson’s vetting clearance “felt pressure to deliver a rapid outcome” because of contacts from Downing Street, MPs have been told.

In testimony relayed to parliament via the Foreign Office (FCDO), Ian Collard said he had not seen the assessment summary produced by the vetting agency when he gave an oral briefing to Olly Robbins, the department’s former permanent secretary. Instead, Collard had received an oral briefing from a member of the FCDO’s personnel security team.