Morgan McSweeney's phone 'stolen' as texts with Mandelson could be 'lost'
A mobile phone used by Morgan McSweeney in government was stolen, meaning messages relating to Peter Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador could be lost, it has been reported.
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Mr McSweeney's phone was taken last year and the data kept on it can no longer be accessed, according to the Sun.
The Cabinet Office does have some of the messages between him and Lord Mandelson, it is understood.
Sir Keir Starmer's former chief of staff quit Downing Street last month under immense pressure, with many having blamed him for pushing the appointment of Lord Mandelson.
Last month, Mandelson was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office by police investigating his links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
MPs ordered the Government to release tens of thousands of documents relating to Lord Mandelson's appointment in 2024 after questions over how the peer was vetted and what was known about his links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
A Government spokesperson said: "We are committed to complying with the Humble Address in full while continuing to support the Metropolitan Police with their investigation."
Mandelson has been accused of passing on information to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein when he was business secretary, with two of his properties searched by police.
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The former MP has previously denied any wrongdoing during his relationship with Epstein.
The arrest of the Labour grandee came just days after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of the same offence at his Sandringham home on his 66th birthday.
The probe was sparked after the release of three million files relating to Jeffrey Epstein by the US Department of Justice in January.
The UK Government announced today that the first tranche of files related to Mandelson's appointment as the UK's ambassador to the US will be published in early March.
Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Darren Jones, told the Commons that officials have been going through documents related to Mandelson's appointment in late 2024.
He said the Government will release documents in tranches as and when they are made ready, rather than all at once at the end of the process.
The Government was compelled to release the files after MPs voted in favour of their disclosure following the release of the Epstein Files.