Why can't you just put compliance in touch with your colleague and tell your colleague "let me know once this has been straightened out and I'll advise"?

Tried that in a more polite manner got rebuffed.

PP - that's what I would do.

Just forward compliance's email to your colleague. Copy in compliance. Body of email:

@colleague: Please deal.

@compliance: Colleague will deal.

(and then turn on your OOO)

Slightly different office based rant but we are at that time again when people go on leave and ask me to basically run things they are doing while they are away.

Er, no. I am not part of your world. I don’t delegate my legal work to you when I am away so f*ck off and find someone in your team to cover your shit.

Compliance is supposed to be a 2nd line function 

Might be one of those days to just give up, go for a walk and have another go tomorrow.

And now time recording has decided it isn't going to work so definitely time to give up and go and spend my lottery winnings on Hula Hoops.