The Cabinet Office is set to ask Peter Mandelson to provide messages from his personal phone as part of an investigation into his appointment as UK ambassador to the US. The move follows a parliamentary demand in February for the release of thousands of documents related to the prime minister's knowledge of Mandelson's ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Downing Street sources confirmed that Mandelson has not yet been asked to hand over messages but will be instructed to provide all relevant correspondence under a humble address, a parliamentary procedure used to compel document release. Officials are currently gathering communications from ministers and officials who were in contact with Mandelson, including WhatsApp messages and emails.
Concerns have been raised that some exchanges may be lost due to the theft of Morgan McSweeney's phone last year. However, the Cabinet Office reportedly holds numerous text and email exchanges between Starmer's former chief of staff and Mandelson. A tranche of McSweeney's correspondence is expected to be released publicly as part of the Mandelson files.
The information gathered will be reviewed by Parliament's intelligence and security committee to assess national security risks, and the Metropolitan Police will oversee the process to ensure it does not interfere with a separate investigation into allegations of misconduct in public office against Mandelson. Prime Minister Starmer has described the theft of McSweeney's phone as unrelated to the document release, calling such suggestions 'far-fetched'.
