Overview
- Sir Keir Starmer acknowledged for the first time that he knew Lord Mandelson maintained contact with Jeffrey Epstein after Epstein’s initial conviction.
- MPs voted to transfer relevant documents to the Intelligence and Security Committee, though ministers said there will be no immediate release.
- Downing Street initially sought to let Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald decide on publication on national security grounds before shifting to ISC oversight following pressure from MPs.
- Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch urged the Prime Minister on ITV to disclose the vetting material within 48 hours.
- A mouse crossed the floor during Badenoch’s ITV interview, highlighting Westminster’s long-running pest problem and a reported £136,000 pest-control bill in 2023.