Ian Collard refuses oral evidence

Ian Collard will not appear in person before MPs examining how Peter Mandelson’s security clearance was handled. He will submit written evidence instead. (theguardian.com) (bbc.co.uk) The Commons Foreign Affairs Committee had asked for Collard to attend its Tuesday session. Chair Emily Thornberry said on Saturday, April 25, that the Foreign Office had declined that request. (theguardian.com) (bbc.co.uk) Thornberry said she was “satisfied by the reasons” for Collard not giving oral evidence “at the moment” and that the committee had asked for his answers in writing. Her letter set a deadline of 5pm on Monday. (bbc.co.uk) (theguardian.com) That matters because Collard is the official Sir Olly Robbins identified as briefing him on Mandelson’s vetting result. Robbins told MPs Collard described the case as borderline and said the process leaned toward refusing clearance. (committees.parliament.uk) (theguardian.com) Robbins also told the committee that, when he arrived as permanent under-secretary on January 20, Mandelson was already receiving highly classified briefings on a case-by-case basis before full clearance was confirmed. (committees.parliament.uk) (bbc.co.uk) MPs want Collard to say whether his recollection matches Robbins’s account and whether he felt pressure to clear Mandelson. Thornberry also asked whether he saw the United Kingdom Security Vetting cover sheet that reportedly showed two red-box “high concern” markers. (theguardian.com) (bbc.co.uk) The committee has already heard from Robbins and Cabinet Office permanent secretary Cat Little. Morgan McSweeney, Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff, is due to appear on Tuesday. (theguardian.com) (bbc.co.uk) Starmer has defended the handling of the affair and said Robbins faced only the “everyday pressure of Government.” The dispute has centered on whether pressure from Downing Street or ministers affected the final clearance decision. (aol.com) (committees.parliament.uk) Collard has given evidence to the committee before, but this time MPs will not be able to press him with follow-up questions in the room. For now, the committee will have to test his account on paper. (theguardian.com) (bbc.co.uk)