Overview
- Morgan McSweeney said he took full responsibility for advising Peter Mandelson’s appointment as U.S. ambassador and called the decision wrong, urging a fundamental overhaul of vetting.
- Metropolitan Police are investigating alleged misconduct in public office and have searched Mandelson-linked properties, removing boxes of material for analysis.
- The Foreign Office has launched a review of Mandelson’s severance payment, reported at £38,750 to £55,000, in light of new information and the ongoing police inquiry.
- Senior figures signaled internal strains, with reports that Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy and Angela Rayner had warned against Mandelson’s appointment, while Pat McFadden urged the party to back Keir Starmer despite a “terrible mistake.”
- DOJ files released on January 30 indicate Mandelson stayed in contact with Epstein and allegedly shared confidential government information during the 2008 financial crisis; Mandelson was sacked in September 2025 and has since quit Labour and the House of Lords.