More Mandelson Papers Set to be Published Before Christmas
The government is preparing to publish more documents about the appointment of Lord Mandelson as US ambassador. Batches of papers were already published in March and June, but others were withheld due to a Metropolitan Police investigation. The Cabinet Office has now announced that additional documents will be made public, likely before Christmas, with some still to be withheld at the request of the Met.
Cat Little, permanent secretary at the Cabinet Office, stated that certain documents could now be published without compromising the investigation. This followed the Met Police's investigation into allegations that Lord Mandelson, while serving as a government minister, shared market-sensitive government information with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In a letter to the chair of Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee, Little mentioned that the Cabinet Office is initiating the process to prepare these additional documents for submission to the House as soon as practicable. She noted that some documents might require redaction to protect national security or international relations.
The process is anticipated to be completed prior to Parliament's Christmas recess on December 17th.
Lord Mandelson was arrested on February 23rd on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He has consistently maintained his innocence, stating that he did not act criminally or for personal gain, and that he is cooperating with the police.
The Met Police confirmed that their investigation into alleged misconduct in public office is ongoing.
The lifelong Labour politician served as the British ambassador to the US from February 2025 until his sacking in September, following the revelation of new information regarding his relationship with Epstein. After his removal, the government, under Sir Keir Starmer's leadership, faced significant criticism for appointing Lord Mandelson and was compelled to release the relevant papers following an MP vote.
Mike Wood, the shadow Cabinet Office minister, criticized the Labour Party for attempting to suppress the information and stated that the documents were only made public due to the Conservatives' efforts.
Five Questions Left Unanswered by the Mandelson Files (Published 2 June)
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Mandelson Files: What You Need to Know (Published 1 June)
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