Overview
- The government released a large tranche of more than 1,000 pages of emails, WhatsApp messages and notes on Monday that relate to Peter Mandelson’s nine months as UK ambassador to Washington.
- Those documents include material that links Mandelson to Jeffrey Epstein and report allegations that Mandelson passed sensitive or internal cabinet information to Epstein while a minister.
- Reporting and the files show Mandelson previously failed a security vetting but was still given the post after a Foreign Office decision to overrule the concerns, while the full vetting report has been withheld at police request.
- Scotland Yard, which arrested Mandelson in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office, is continuing a criminal investigation and asked for some records to be kept back from the public release.
- The disclosures have deepened political pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer, prompted resignations, fueled Tory claims of missing messages and may increase internal Labour calls for leadership change.