Metropolitan Police officers have instructed the Cabinet Office to withhold a number of documents connected to Lord Mandelson’s appointment as UK ambassador to the United States, as a criminal investigation into allegations of misconduct in public office continues.
Among the files being kept from publication is a vetting exchange in which Morgan McSweeney — Sir Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff — put three questions to Lord Mandelson concerning his ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Those questions are understood to have related to Lord Mandelson’s continued contact with Epstein following the financier’s first conviction for soliciting prostitution with a minor, reports that he had stayed at Epstein’s home while the financier was serving his sentence, and his association with a charity linked to Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
The Cabinet Office has already released an initial batch of files this month, with a second and substantially larger tranche expected to follow in the coming weeks. Those documents already made public indicate that the UK’s national security adviser had raised concerns about Lord Mandelson directly with McSweeney prior to the appointment being confirmed.
Sir Keir has stated that Lord Mandelson “lied” during the vetting process, and Downing Street has indicated it expects the forthcoming documents to support that assertion. Cabinet Office records show the prime minister was advised at the time that Lord Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein carried a “general reputational risk.” It was, however, already publicly known during the appointment process that Lord Mandelson had maintained contact with Epstein after that initial conviction.
Lord Mandelson has not responded to requests for comment, though the BBC understands his position to be that he acted in no criminal capacity, was not motivated by financial gain, and answered questions about his relationship with Epstein accurately during vetting.
He was dismissed from the ambassadorial role last year following renewed scrutiny over that friendship. McSweeney, who had been a long-standing political ally of Lord Mandelson, subsequently resigned as chief of staff in February amid questions over his involvement in securing the Washington appointment.
The disclosure process was set in motion earlier this year when MPs backed a parliamentary motion tabled by the Conservatives, compelling the government to release relevant files. Officials are now preparing to extend that process further — asking Lord Mandelson to provide messages from his personal mobile phone, in addition to those already retrieved from his government-issued device. The request is expected to cover correspondence with ministers and McSweeney dating back to summer 2024.
The ongoing misconduct inquiry has prompted significant scrutiny of the vetting documents associated with Lord Mandelson. As the investigation unfolds, the government’s commitment to transparency appears to be wavering, raising concerns about accountability. The request for additional communications from Lord Mandelson’s personal device underscores the importance of a thorough examination of all pertinent interactions related to the case. Furthermore, the circumstances surrounding McSweeney’s stolen work phone add another layer of complexity to the inquiry, particularly regarding the potential loss of critical evidence.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, writing in the Daily Telegraph, called for documents relating to that theft to also be disclosed, saying “something fishy is going on.” Sir Keir dismissed suggestions the theft could have been staged, describing such claims as “a little bit far-fetched.”
The Cabinet Office has said the larger release of documents is expected within the coming weeks, as officials continue to work through the scope of material required under the parliamentary motion.
