Key texts, emails and WhatsApps from latest dump of Mandelson files
Mandelson publications show exchanges with government figures, including Wes Streeting and David Lammy
A huge batch of new files containing thousands of documents and messages with details of Lord Peter Mandelson’s appointment and activities as ambassador to the US have been published by the Government.
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The release includes thousands of previously classified documents and personal WhatsApp messages exchanged by the former ambassador with senior figures in Government.
The documents were published following orders from the House of Commons in the wake of revelations about Lord Mandelson’s ties to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Lord Mandelson stepped down as US ambassador after the ties emerged but MPs forced the government to release the documents to show why and how he first came to be appointed.
Downing Street said the disclosure is an “unprecedented piece of Government transparency”.
Here are the best highlights from the three huge volumes of documents.
Read more: Peter Mandelson's links to China, Russia and Israel flagged by vetting agency
Mandelson says Starmer lacks ‘verve and Downing Street needs complete revamp’ in huge takedown of PM
Mandelson said that Keir Starmer “lacks verve as does the Cabinet as a whole” during an exchange with Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden in May 2025.
Paraphrasing former then No10 Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney, Mandelson said the cycle for Starmer was ‘advance/buckle/advance/buckle’.
McFadden and Mandelson had been discussing the strategy after Labour defeats in local elections last May.
The then Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster asked Mandelson: "What do we actually do?"
Mandelson wrote back: "It stems from the top and Keir lacks verve as does the Cabinet as a whole. People’s heads are broadly in the right place but you need more people who can execute.
“I have a feeling that Keir is now consistently going for direction B. His recanting on his immigration speech, on welfare, now Gaza. There is definitely a “let Keir be Keir” trend.
“This is what Morgan senses and so it is particularly acute for him. His view from when Keir first stood is that the cycle has been the same, advance/buckle/advance/buckle.’
Mandelson 'declined to comply' with request to hand over WhatsApp messages
The Government wrote to Peter Mandelson - via his solicitors - to request any information held on his personal phone.
"Peter Mandelson declined to comply with this request. The government has no further recourse to search the personal devices of Peter Mandelson," it said.
Mandelson appeared to avoid handing over details of foreign contacts
Mandelson appeared somewhat reluctant to hand over details about his overseas contacts during his vetting for the ambassador role.
In January 2025, some months after he was announced as ambassador - vetting authorities asked him to complete paperwork "concentrating on current or recent contacts" he had with foreign nationals.
But Mandelson replied with questions suggesting he would rather not hand over all of those contacts.
He wrote: "Do you mean literally every foreign national I have ever met? I assume not.
"Could you be a bit more specific about what sort of person, how far back, who I have done more than meet?"Do you mean friends? Counterpart ministers? People in business?"
Mandelson told Lammy that he would 'never regret it' if he was appointed ambassador
Peter Mandelson wrote a handwritten note to then-foreign secretary David Lammy on 18 November 2024 - a month before he was appointed US ambassador.
"If you were minded to appoint me, I would make sure you never regret it," he wrote in the letter.
He added: "I fear that navigating Britain's interests through the Trump administration will require super-human skills and luck and a massive team effort.
"There is so much riding on it, on security and defence, on trade and economy and on EU relationship, not to mention China."
He later wrote it would be the "last thing I do in public life and it would be a huge honour" to be in the role.
Donald Trump wanted red dispatch box as gift from UK
Mandelson and government aides discussed what present they should get forDonald Trump - and whether he would like "a red dispatch box with the gold crest and lettering mimicking a UK Government Ministerial box but with "President of the United States" inscribed upon it.
On 28 August 2025, the disgraced former ambassador vented his frustration about the gift with Morgan McSweeney, the Prime Minister's former Chief of Staff.
Mandelson wrote: "The saga goes on. See Olly [Robbins, former FCDO civil servant] email.
"This is like something out of Thick of it. We are now facing the red box being presented by ... after... with... I have gone tonto on this."
Wes Streeting 'hysterical' and 'having a midlife crisis', Mandelson said
The disgraced ambassador appeared to bad-mouth former Health Secretary Wes Streeting in messages with Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden.
He wrote: “I think Wes is experiencing an early midlife crisis.”
In another message, Mandelson said: “By way, I received a wild long hysterical message from Wes about Israel. I pushed back. I can forward but reflects pretty badly on his maturity in my view."
Top minister said Labour MPs asked 'who can we tax to pay benefits to others'
In more WhatsApp exchanges between Mandelson and McFadden, the chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster at the time, the pair discussed the welfare system and public spending.
McFadden said of his discussions with Labour MPs: "Every meeting I have is 'who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others'.
“They're asking the wrong questions".
Mandelson also described then-deputy PM Angela Rayner as "an instrument of destabilsation", and wrote the following day that the PLP (parliamentary Labour Party) was in a "mutinous state".
Mandelson told former minister she could 'come back' to government after phone scandal
One of the first major crises to grip the Starmer government saw Louise Haigh resign after she admitted an offence connected with misleading the police while a parliamentary candidate in 2014.
It concerned a work phone she claimed was stolen but was later discovered in her home.
But Mandelson told her she was "brave and loyal" in her decision to resign, and that it seemed "harsh" to force her out of government.
He wrote: “Lou, I am very sorry about this. You have been braveand loyal in your decision but it seems harsh given you were appointed in full knowledge. But you have acted in a way that enables you to come back later and everything you sayand do now should be done with that in mind. Strong and honourable.
"But you have acted in a way that enables you to come back later and everything you say and do now should be done with that in mind. Strong and honourable."
Haigh thanked him for the "kind message".
Mandelson tried and failed to contact parliament's youngest MP
The disgraced Labour Grandee asked Streeting for a Keir Mather’s mobile, saying he “had been trying to message him without success and wondering whether I have the wrong number “.
Streeting replied with a number that was redacted in the government’s document dump.
Mandelson replied: That’s the one I have. I have messaged and called to no avail.