Key Figure in Mandelson Vetting Scandal Will Not Testify Before MPs
Ian Collard, the chief property and security officer at the Foreign Office and a central figure in the controversy over Peter Mandelson's appointment as UK ambassador to Washington, will not give oral evidence to a parliamentary committee. Instead, he will submit written answers to questions from the Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC), as confirmed by committee chair Emily Thornberry on Saturday.
Background of the Vetting Dispute
The row erupted after it emerged that Mandelson, a Labour peer, was initially deemed a borderline case by security vetting, with a recommendation that clearance be denied. However, this decision was overruled by his department. The FAC has already heard from Olly Robbins, the Foreign Office's top civil servant who was forced out of his post last week, and Cat Little, the Cabinet Office permanent secretary. Keir Starmer's former chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, is scheduled to appear on Tuesday.
Collard's Role and Evidence
Collard, a former ambassador to Lebanon and Panama, was appointed as the Foreign Office's chief property and security officer in March 2023. He has previously given evidence to select committees. According to Robbins, Collard briefed him on the vetting findings that deemed Mandelson a borderline case and leaned toward recommending denial of clearance. Thornberry has asked Collard to detail his recollection of this meeting and whether it aligns with Robbins's evidence, with a deadline of 5pm on Monday for written responses.
Questions to Be Answered
Thornberry's letter to the Foreign Office includes several specific questions for Collard:
- Whether he felt under pressure to deliver Mandelson's clearance, given Robbins's description of an "atmosphere of pressure" and "constant chasing" from Downing Street.
- Whether he had seen the cover form from UK Security Vetting (UKSV), which included two red boxes indicating "high concern" and a recommendation of "clearance denied or withdrawn."
- Whether anyone in the Foreign Office, Downing Street, or the Cabinet Office asked him for advice on whether Mandelson required vetting, given his status as a member of the House of Lords.
- Whether he advised on how Mandelson should be treated between his appointment announcement and clearance confirmation.
Thornberry's Statement
Thornberry wrote on X on Saturday: "To be clear, I am satisfied by the reasons behind Ian Collard not giving oral evidence before the FAC at the moment. We have therefore asked for his evidence in writing." She added: "If we have further questions, we will consider at that point whether we need to ask him to give evidence orally, or whether a further written statement is sufficient."
Robbins's Testimony
Robbins told the committee that when he took over at the Foreign Office in January 2025, Mandelson was already being granted access to "highly classified briefings" on a case-by-case basis, despite his security clearance not being confirmed. Robbins said he had never seen the UKSV form when making the decision on Mandelson's clearance but was briefed on the vetting results.
Little's Evidence
Cat Little informed the committee that there had been an initial discussion about whether Mandelson needed security vetting at all, given his membership in the House of Lords.
Starmer's Position
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has maintained that Robbins was wrong not to inform him of the developed vetting outcome. Starmer insisted he would not have appointed Mandelson as ambassador to Washington had he known. He has stood by his decision to sack Robbins, stating that the pressure to clear the appointment was merely the "everyday pressure of government." Speaking to the Sunday Times, Starmer distinguished between different types of pressure: "There's pressure – 'Can we get this done quickly?' – which is not an unusual pressure. That is the everyday pressure of government." He added that pressure to disregard the security vetting element and give clearance would be different, and Robbins was "really clear in his mind that wasn't pressure that was put on him."
