The government’s disclosure process around Lord Mandelson’s appointment as UK ambassador to the United States is set to widen, with officials expected to request access to messages from his personal phone.
The Cabinet Office is preparing to release a large set of documents following his removal from the role. Until now, the material has been limited to communications from his work device. Access to personal messages is likely to fill gaps in exchanges with ministers and advisers during the appointment process.
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The move comes as questions continue over how the appointment was handled and what role senior political figures may have played. Some messages between Lord Mandelson and Morgan McSweeney are already understood to be held by officials, though it remains unclear whether others may have been lost after McSweeney’s phone was stolen.
That theft, reported last autumn, has become part of a wider political dispute. Opposition figures have suggested missing communications could obscure the full picture, while the government has dismissed claims that the incident is linked to the disclosure process.
Lord Mandelson’s appointment had already drawn scrutiny before his dismissal, particularly in relation to his past association with Jeffrey Epstein. Concerns about reputational risk were raised during the vetting process, according to documents already released.
Parliament has since intervened, with MPs voting earlier this year to compel the publication of files connected to the appointment, as outlined on the UK Parliament website. The next release is expected to include a broader set of communications, potentially covering exchanges with ministers and advisers dating back to 2024.
Some material remains withheld at the request of police, who are investigating allegations of misconduct in public office. This includes parts of the vetting process, where questions were raised about Lord Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein.
Downing Street has said the disclosure will clarify the circumstances surrounding the appointment. Lord Mandelson has not commented publicly, but is understood to maintain that he acted lawfully and responded fully during vetting.
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