00:00Yesterday, Sir Ollie Robbins said that the focus was on getting Mandelson out to Washington quickly.
00:07He said the Prime Minister's team showed a dismissive attitude to vetting.
00:12And they even argued Peter Mandelson didn't need any vetting at all.
00:18This clearly wasn't proper process.
00:22Why was due process not followed?
00:25Mr Speaker, let me deal with this directly, particularly this question of pressure in relation to the decision to appoint
00:34and to put into post Peter Mandelson.
00:36Sir Ollie Robbins could not have been clearer in his evidence yesterday.
00:39He said this, I didn't feel under pressure personally in terms of my judgment.
00:46His words, Mr Speaker, he went on to say, I have complete confidence that recommendations to me and the discussions
00:58we had and the decision we made were rigorously independent of any pressure.
01:03Mr Speaker, on top of that, he was asked if any conversations led him to believe that Mandelson needed to
01:12take up the role regardless of vetting outcome.
01:14He said, I can say with certainty, it was never put to me in that way.
01:19No pressure existed whatsoever in relation to this case.
01:24Sir Ollie Robbins said yesterday that Peter Mandelson was given access to highly classified briefings even before he'd received clearance.
01:35That was a clear national security risk.
01:38Mr Speaker, on top of that, please.
01:38Mr Speaker, on top of that, please.
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