Key Labour Figure’s Communications Unavailable Due to Theft
A significant portion of digital communications between a senior Labour minister and Lord Mandelson has been lost after the minister’s mobile phone was stolen, it has been revealed. Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Minister for EU Relations, was unable to provide WhatsApp messages for a recent document release, known as the Mandelson Files, because his personal device was taken last year.
Incident Details and Lost Data
The theft occurred on October 15 last year, with Mr. Thomas-Symonds reporting the incident to the police on the same evening. The stolen handset contained WhatsApp exchanges with Lord Mandelson from the current year, which have now been irretrievably lost. Mr. Thomas-Symonds has stated that he has provided all the messages he could recall, which are understood to have taken place before Lord Mandelson’s appointment as UK ambassador to the United States.
This unfortunate event mirrors a similar incident involving Morgan McSweeney, former Downing Street chief of staff and an associate of Lord Mandelson, who also had his phone stolen five days later. While Mr. McSweeney’s WhatsApps were not provided, the disclosure does include a page of group messages from him.
Official Statements and Document Release
According to official minutes released, Mr. Thomas-Symonds met with Lord Mandelson in January of this year to discuss the next steps for a planned EU reset. An ally of Mr. Thomas-Symonds commented, “Nick complied fully with the humble address, sharing all details of the messages he could recall, which were all prior to Mandelson taking up post. It is right that transparency is the only remedy.”
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police confirmed, “We were called on Wednesday, October 15 at around 23:25 hrs, with a man reporting his phone had been stolen by three people on bikes. The incident took place around half an hour earlier on Marsham Street, Westminster. Officers made initial inquiries, but the case was closed after no suspects could be identified.”
Incomplete Records and Broader Disclosures
The release of the 1,500-page Mandelson Files, while extensive, is not a complete record of all communications. Darren Jones, Keir Starmer’s Chief Secretary, acknowledged that some messages between ministers and Lord Mandelson might not have been included due to features like disappearing messages or device changes. He also noted that Lord Mandelson declined to voluntarily hand over his personal phone for review, as the government lacks the authority to compel third parties outside of its employment to do so.
The released documents reportedly reveal internal criticisms among ministers and officials regarding the current government’s direction. The files also highlight Lord Mandelson’s continued influence within the Labour party, despite past controversies, through his close relationship with Mr. McSweeney. One notable comment attributed to Pat McFadden, the Work and Pensions Secretary, expressed concern over Labour MPs’ focus on taxation for benefit payments, drawing criticism from the Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch.
The dossier, compiled at a significant cost, has also reportedly drawn criticism for not shedding more light on the Prime Minister’s decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the United States.
