More than 1,500 pages of government documents relating to Peter Mandelson's appointment and tenure as UK ambassador to the U.S. have been published, revealing private exchanges with ministers, criticism of Prime Minister Keir Starmer and details of the vetting process that preceded his appointment.
The second tranche of documents, released this week, contains emails, WhatsApp messages and internal correspondence involving Mandelson and senior Labour figures.
Officials said the publication spans more than 1,500 pages, making it more than 10 times larger than the first release in March, which consisted of a 147-page document. The Cabinet Office said the process of reviewing and publishing the material has already cost more than £1 million.
Among the most politically sensitive disclosures are private messages in which Mandelson criticised Starmer's leadership. In exchanges with senior ministers, he reportedly said the Prime Minister "lacks verve" and argued that the government needed "more panache".
Mandelson also described Downing Street as "beleaguered and bereft," suggesting it required a significant overhaul to restore confidence and direction.
The files contain conversations with pensions minister Torsten Bell, who referred to the government as "messy" during discussions in 2024. Mandelson responded by arguing that ministers were not developing or delivering policy effectively.
Government notes released alongside the documents state that Mandelson declined to provide messages stored on his personal phone, despite requests made through his legal representatives during the publication process.
The papers also include details from the vetting process carried out before Mandelson took up the ambassadorial role, including discussions about his international contacts.
Among the more unusual revelations is an account claiming that U.S. President Donald Trump wanted a red dispatch box similar to those used by British ministers. Mandelson reportedly compared the request to "something out of The Thick Of It," a British political comedy series that satirises government dysfunction and political infighting.
The release forms part of a wider parliamentary effort to scrutinise Mandelson's appointment and conduct while serving as ambassador. Ministers are expected to face further questions from MPs later this week as lawmakers examine the contents of the newly published documents.
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Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 11 November. Today, we cover Russia-Ukraine peace talks, political tensions in Washington, strikes in Spain, espionage allegations involving Nvidia's CEO, and climate negotiations at COP31 in Türkiye.
President Vladimir Putin agreed on Thursday to let European representatives join the next round of Ukraine peace talks while the United States continues to work towards what could become the largest prisoner exchange of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Azerbaijan and the UK have pledged to strengthen defence, trade and education cooperation after signing a joint declaration elevating relations to a strategic level in Dublin, Ireland on Thursday (12 November).
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A court in Russia’s Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad has sentenced human rights lawyer Maria Bontsler to 12 years in prison on treason charges, after prosecutors accused her of passing sensitive information to Ukraine.
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