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last mo.

Mandelson Files Expose Private Labour Doubts Over Starmer and No 10

Their release raises fresh questions about the prime minister’s grip on the party, Downing Street staffing and Peter Mandelson’s vetting status.

Keir Starmer sacked Peter Mandelson as the UK's ambassador to the US over his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein (Photo: Carl Court/AFP/Getty Images)

Overview

  • Thousands of WhatsApp messages from Peter Mandelson were published on Monday, 1 June 2026, after a parliamentary motion and prompted widespread reporting.
  • The files show senior figures privately warning that Keir Starmer’s authority was damaged by policy U‑turns, with Pat McFadden saying the rebellion over welfare cuts could 'destroy his authority'.
  • Messages record senior ministers debating fiscal choices framed around raising taxes to pay for benefits and a costly reversal on planned PIP and Universal Credit sickness cuts that left a £3bn hole in spending plans.
  • Staffing and comms failings are detailed, including Morgan McSweeney’s push for an external 'Rand-style' strategy unit to run parts of No 10 and Mandelson’s suggestion of a quiet economic adviser to 'second guess' the OBR.
  • The publication has intensified scrutiny of Mandelson’s security vetting and noted an active police inquiry into alleged leaks, a development that could prolong political fallout and raise questions about trust in senior appointments.