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Top Foreign Office official ‘felt pressure’ for ‘rapid outcome’ on Mandelson vetting
UK NewsPolitics•April 27, 2026 at 9:06 PMNational

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

By Henry Dyer•The Guardian - UK News

Ian Collard tells MPs he had not seen UKSV assessment summary before briefing Olly Robbins on clearanceA top Foreign Office security official who played a key role in granting 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. Continue reading...

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 granting 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.

Continue reading...