Mandelson files: The key takeaways from latest release of disgraced peer’s messages with Starmer’s top ministers

Mandelson files: The key takeaways from latest release of disgraced peer’s messages with Starmer’s top ministers Ministers were braced for embarrassing revelations ahead of the publication of the files on Monday afternoon - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Revealing messages between Lord Peter Mandelson and several government ministers and officials have been published in the latest tranche of documents relating to the disgraced former Labour peer’s appointment as US ambassador. Among them are emails and WhatsApp conversations with work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden, former health secretary Wes Streeting and ex-communications chief Matthew Doyle. The documents were ordered to be published by the House of Commons in the wake of revelations about Lord Mandelson’s ties to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. It is the second batch of files relating to Sir Keir Starmer’s ill-fated decision to give the prestigious Washington post to Lord Mandelson rather than a career diplomat. No 10 indicated the release of documents was everything it planned to publish on Lord Mandelson, apart from files held back at the request of Scotland Yard to avoid jeopardising its investigation. Here are the main takeaways: Mandelson told ministers to behave in a more ‘Trumpian’ way to beat Reform Lord Mandelson told ministers to behave in a more “Trumpian risk-taking and daredevil way” in the aftermath of Labour’s loss to Reform in the Runcorn by-election. In messages to Mr McFadden, Lord Mandelson said the party’s problems “stems from the top and Keir [Starmer] lacks verve”. He went on to tell Mr McFadden on 3 May 3, in a message at around 4am US time, that Morgan McSweeney, then chief-of-staff for Sir Keir, was “so confident” the party would win Runcorn. The party eventually lost to Reform by just six votes. He wrote: “It does start right from the top, I am afraid, but you must all contribute more to it by breaking out of the Whitehall system and mould and appearing less like business as usual conventional ministers and, dare I say it, behaving in a more Trumpian risk taking and dare devil way.” Mandelson tells Lammy he will ‘never regret’ making him US ambassador Lord Mandelson told deputy leader David Lammy he would “never regret” appointing him as Britain’s ambassador to the US. The note, dated November 18 2024, appears to have been written as Lord Mandelson was awaiting the results of a vote of who would be Oxford University’s next chancellor, a job he was said to be among the frontrunners for at the time. The letter, written in blue pen on notepaper headed with Lord Mandelson’s name and a House of Lords seal, read: “Dear David, As today (and all week) is polling day in Oxford and I am returning to London, I wanted to drop you a line, personally, about Washington. “Thankfully, the media speculation has gone away and I hope this was not too irritating to you. I just wanted you to know that if you were minded to appoint me I would make sure you never regret it.” Mandelson and McFadden speculated that Starmer may not survive welfare rebellion The files reveal an exchange between Lord Mandelson and the now work and pensions secretary over the PM’s future amid a climbdown on welfare cuts in the face of a rebellion by Labour backbenchers. As it was unravelling, Mr McFadden wrote that the situation was “very bad”. He warned that many of the options “all destroy his (the PM’s) authority”.Lord Mandelson wrote: “If it presses to a vote and is lost I am not sure that Keir survives that.”In the end, there was no vote and the government climbed down on the plans. Mandelson refused to hand over WhatsApp messages Lord Mandelson “declined to comply” with a request to hand over his WhatsApp messages and other information on his personal phone to the government, the latest documents relating to his appointment as US ambassador have revealed. A note on the methodology stated that they written to Lord Mandelson’s solicitors to request information held on his personal phone but this was denied. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments