UK minister calls newly released Mandelson messages ‘embarrassing’

A senior UK Cabinet minister has admitted that newly released messages related to Peter Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to the United States are “embarrassing.” Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden told the BBC that some of his own exchanges with Mandelson were stored on a personal phone that was stolen last year. When asked about a message attributed to him — “Every meeting I have is who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others” — McFadden said: “Look they are embarrassing, I’m not hiding from that.”

Document release and criticism of Starmer’s team

More than 1,500 pages of documents related to Mandelson’s appointment were released Monday, in what is believed to be the final major disclosure of records connected to the case. The documents include a letter from Mandelson to then‑Foreign Secretary David Lammy: “I would make sure you never regret it.” Other messages showed Mandelson criticising Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s team in exchanges with McFadden, describing it as “beleaguered and bereft.” Mandelson also “declined to comply” with a Cabinet Office request to provide information held on his personal phone.

Background

Starmer appointed Mandelson in December 2024 but dismissed him nine months later following revelations about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. An investigation by The Guardian reported that Mandelson failed security vetting clearance, but the decision was later overturned by the Foreign Office. Starmer has faced calls to resign over allegations that he misled parliament by claiming “full due process” was followed.