Tories Accuse Government of Removing Starmer's Traces from Mandelson Appointment Files
Conservative MPs have dramatically suggested that Prime Minister Keir Starmer's "fingerprints were forensically removed" from recently-published documents concerning Peter Mandelson's controversial appointment as Britain's ambassador to the United States. The explosive allegation emerged during heated parliamentary exchanges about what senior Tories describe as "many, many documents missing" from the official release.
Missing Records and Protocol Breaches
Downing Street finally released the first batch of documents last week surrounding Lord Mandelson's December 2024 appointment, but the files revealed significant gaps in the official record. Although the documents confirmed Sir Keir was warned about the disgraced peer's "particularly close" relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, they contained no record of the Prime Minister's response or his thoughts about the appointment.
Senior Tory MP Alex Burghart raised an urgent question in the House of Commons, declaring: "It's become increasingly clear that either the Government did not follow due process in its appointment of Peter Mandelson, or that it has not disclosed all of the relevant documents." The shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster added that either scenario would constitute "a contempt of Parliament."
Mr Burghart highlighted several concerning omissions:- No prime ministerial readout on the advice received about the appointment
- No minutes from any meetings where the appointment was discussed
- No material from the Prime Minister, his chief of staff, or Peter Mandelson himself
- No box returns, emails, forms, or WhatsApp messages related to the decision
"It is as though their fingerprints have been forensically removed," Mr Burghart told MPs, adding that the situation "starts to stink of the sofa government we had under Tony Blair."
Government Response and Process Admission
In response to the urgent question, senior Cabinet minister Darren Jones told Parliament: "As the PM and the Government has said, the process that was inherited was the process that was followed. However, this has shown that that process was not sufficient, which is why it's being strengthened."
Mr Jones, who serves as Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, confirmed that WhatsApp messages and other communications "will be subject to a further tranche being published in due course."
The released documents from March 11 revealed that Sir Keir's national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, had described Lord Mandelson's appointment as "weirdly rushed" and noted that the peer had been named as the new ambassador before his vetting had been completed.
Starmer's Defense and Process Admission
Prime Minister Keir Starmer himself denied misleading MPs about whether due process was followed, telling a press conference: "No," when asked about the allegation. He referenced his ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, who "considered the question last week, and answered very robustly that the process had been followed."
However, Sir Keir acknowledged significant flaws in the system, stating: "Amongst the changes that I intend to put into place is the fact you can't announce something until the vetting is finished. It wasn't an individual decision in the Mandelson case, that was the process. We only have to look at that in the light of the appointment to realise that that needs to change."
The Prime Minister added: "But on due process, that process that was there was followed, the problem was the process wasn't strong enough. Ultimately, it was my mistake and I have apologised for that and quite right too."
Ethics Adviser's Assessment and Ongoing Investigations
In a letter published on March 13, Sir Laurie Magnus rejected calls for an inquiry into whether the Prime Minister had misled Parliament, stating: "I consider that the documentation that has been made public indicates that the relevant process for a political appointee was followed."
The document release was compelled by MPs who backed a Conservative "Humble Address" motion calling for publication of files connected to the appointment, along with communications between Lord Mandelson and senior government figures. Some material is expected to be withheld due to an ongoing police investigation into Lord Mandelson or national security concerns raised by Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee.
Lord Mandelson was arrested last month on suspicion of misconduct in public office, accused of passing sensitive information to Jeffrey Epstein during his tenure as business secretary in Gordon Brown's government. Although bailed and later released from bail conditions, he remains under investigation. The peer has vowed to cooperate with police and "clear his name," denying that Epstein files show he broke laws or acted for personal gain while expressing regret about his friendship with the convicted sex offender.
