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A significant individual connected to the controversy over Lord Mandelson’s security clearance will not be appearing in person before a parliamentary committee. The Foreign Affairs Committee had requested the attendance of Ian Collard, a civil servant who was in charge of the security team at the Foreign Office, to provide evidence next week. However, the committee’s chair, Dame Emily Thornberry, confirmed that the Foreign Office decided to decline this request, stating that Collard will instead submit his testimony in writing.
Ian Collard played a pivotal role in briefing the former head of the Foreign Office, Sir Olly Robbins, regarding the UK Security and Vetting (UKSV) unit’s recommendation against granting clearance to Lord Mandelson. Sir Olly was dismissed last week after it emerged that he had approved Mandelson’s clearance contrary to this recommendation and failed to inform Downing Street about the decision. Government sources maintain that UKSV explicitly advised the Foreign Office not to approve Mandelson’s vetting before his appointment as ambassador to the United States.
During a session with MPs on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Sir Olly stated he had not seen a formal written recommendation and was only verbally informed that UKSV’s position was “borderline” with a tendency to advise against granting clearance. The government is now investigating whether Sir Olly had accurate information prior to authorizing the security clearance. A review led by retired judge Sir Adrian Fulford is underway, with the focus on whether Collard’s briefing accurately represented the vetting team’s stance—an element that could be essential in judging whether Sir Keir Starmer was justified in dismissing Sir Olly.
Meanwhile, questions for Collard have been circulated in writing by Dame Emily Thornberry, including inquiries about how frequently his team’s vetting recommendations differed from those in the UKSV reports. The Foreign Office has refrained from commenting on Collard’s absence from the committee hearing. Morgan McSweeney, Sir Keir’s former chief of staff who advised appointing Lord Mandelson to the US post, will appear before the committee and is expected to answer questions regarding possible pressure on civil servants to expedite the vetting process. The dispute has sparked renewed criticism within the Labour Party about Sir Keir’s leadership. Defending himself at Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir asserted that had the Foreign Office informed him of the concerns, “Mandelson would not have been committed to post.”
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