Government Demands Personal Communications
Officials plan to request Lord Peter Mandelson surrender messages from his personal phone as part of efforts to release communications tied to his US ambassador appointment. The move aims to clarify the decision amid his documented connections to financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Relevant documents, including exchanges with ministers, will be sought from Mandelson’s device. Government sources describe this as routine information collection, unrelated to the theft of Morgan McSweeney’s phone last October.
Concerns Over Stolen Device
The stolen phone raises fears that messages between McSweeney—who advocated for Mandelson’s role—and the former Labour peer may be lost. McSweeney stepped down as Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff earlier this year due to his involvement in the appointment.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch called the theft “very suspicious,” noting it occurred after documents were set for release. Sir Keir Starmer dismissed cover-up claims as “a little bit far-fetched.” He confirmed: “The phone was stolen. It was reported to the police. There’s a transcript of the call in which Morgan McSweeney gives his name, his date of birth, the details of the phone, and the police confirm that it was reported. Unfortunately, there are thefts like this. It was stolen. It was reported at the time, the police have acknowledged and confirmed that. That is what happened.”
Mandelson Files Release
The upcoming messages form the second tranche of documents on Mandelson’s appointment, following MPs’ February push for transparency. The initial batch, released earlier this month, revealed the prime minister proceeded despite warnings of reputational risks from Epstein ties.
Mandelson, a political appointee rather than a career diplomat, lost his Washington post in September last year after new US documents surfaced on his Epstein links. Authorities arrested him on February 23 on suspicion of misconduct in public office, alleging he shared sensitive information with Epstein while serving as business secretary under Gordon Brown.
