Mandelson Files: Undiplomatic Remarks and Missing Documents Emerge

Newly released documents concerning former British ambassador Peter Mandelson have shed light on highly undiplomatic comments made about Prime Minister Keir Starmer by Mandelson and his high-ranking contacts. The documents, published on Monday, also strengthen suspicions that the Foreign Office may have sought to expedite Mandelson's vetting process, despite significant reservations.

Mandelson, who was appointed ambassador to Washington in November 2024, wrote to then-Foreign Secretary David Lammy, now Deputy Prime Minister, stating, "You will not regret it if I am appointed ambassador." This appointment has since been widely seen as a damaging decision for Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Concerns about Mandelson's ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019, surfaced last autumn. It became public that Mandelson had received money from Epstein and shared confidential government information with him. Following these revelations, Starmer dismissed Mandelson after only nine months as ambassador. Mandelson, 72, who had held numerous senior government positions, subsequently resigned his seat in the House of Lords and left the Labour Party. Police investigated him for misconduct in office and temporarily detained him for questioning.

Initial documents released in March revealed strong reservations during Mandelson's selection process and that he had failed security checks. Starmer claimed he was not informed and dismissed two officials responsible. The opposition has accused Starmer of a major misjudgment and misleading Parliament.

However, the current release of over a thousand pages of documents is unlikely to cause a political earthquake or force Starmer's resignation. This is largely because the most critical documents directly related to Mandelson's appointment are mostly absent, as they remain part of ongoing investigations. No documents from Starmer himself are included, and Mandelson refused to hand over his mobile phone for data retrieval.

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You will not regret it if I am appointed ambassador.