The SNP has called for an investigation into messages and meetings that were not disclosed in over 1,000 pages of documents relating to Peter Mandelson published earlier this week. The call follows The Spectator's publication of messages from Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones, including one where he told Lord Mandelson he was 'so sorry' on the day Mandelson was sacked as US ambassador over his links to Jeffrey Epstein.
Jones wrote: 'You’ve been doing such a great job, and you worked wonders with Trump. I’m so sorry about today.' The omission of some messages has raised concerns about the use of disappearing messages among senior government figures.
SNP Westminster leader Dave Doogan has pushed for an investigation, stating: 'The Peter Mandelson scandal looks increasingly like a Labour Party cover-up – and it stinks. It’s now clear that the most senior members of the Labour Government have failed to publish key messages with Lord Mandelson – and have failed to declare secret meetings with him and his lobbying firm, Global Counsel.'
Doogan added: 'This isn’t just embarrassing for them, it looks like a clear breach of the ministerial code and UK lobbying laws – and it shows that Mandelson was pulling the strings of the Labour Government. The disgraced Labour Party peer should never have been allowed anywhere near power.'
The SNP has previously written to the Prime Minister’s ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, about a meeting between Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander and Global Counsel. Doogan concluded: 'There must now be a full probe into why Government ministers failed to publish their exchanges with Mandelson, and failed to declare meetings they held with him, his lobbying firm and clients.'
