New Peter Mandelson files to be published before Christmas

More documents related to Peter Mandelson ’s appointment as UK ambassador to the US are expected to be published before Christmas . The Mandelson scandal contributed to Keir Starmer's downfall after it emerged the peer coached Jeffrey Epstein through "years of torture" over underage sex charges. Mr Starmer dramatically sacked Lord Mandelson from his Trump whisperer role last year and later said he "repeatedly lied" to him over the extent of his relationship with disgraced paedophile Epstein.

In February, the government agreed to MPs' demands to release 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 Epstein. Two tranches containing thousands of pages of documents - including WhatsApps, emails and handwritten notes - were released in March and June but some documents were held back due to a police probe into Lord Mandelson.

Cat Little, permanent secretary to the Cabinet Office, on Thursday confirmed some of the withheld documents “can now be published without prejudicing their investigation”. The Met Police launched a criminal investigation into the Labour evidence amid allegations Lord Mandelson, 72, passed market-sensitive information to the disgraced billionaire. Lord Mandelson, who has repeatedly denied criminal wrongdoing, was arrested on 23 February on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

In a letter to Lord Beamish, the Labour peer who chairs Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), Ms Little wrote: “I am writing to confirm that the Cabinet Office has been informed by the Metropolitan Police of their assessment that a number of these documents can be published without prejudicing their investigation. “The Cabinet Office is now beginning the process to prepare these documents so that they may be laid before the House in response to the humble address motion as soon as possible.

I anticipate that this process will be completed before the House rises for Christmas recess.” The Commons is due to rise for the Christmas recess on December 17. Ms Little wrote that the documents will need to be reviewed “to assess whether or not they may require redactions for the purposes of avoiding prejudice to national security or international relations, and therefore referral to the ISC”. Members of the ISC will be able to see the unredacted files before they are published more widely, with some information concealed.

Some documents will “continue to be held back at the request of the Metropolitan Police to avoid prejudicing an ongoing investigation”, the permanent secretary said. These will be published when the Cabinet Office is “able to do so without risk to that investigation or any subsequent legal process”, Ms Little added. A Met Police spokesperson said: “Our investigation into alleged misconduct in public office is ongoing.” Mr Starmer sacked Lord Mandelson as the UK's Ambassador to the US in September 2025 after emails leaked which showed the peer sent supportive messages even as Jeffrey Epstein faced jail for sex offences.

In previous tranches of documents, it emerged Lord Mandelson trousered a £75,000 severance payment when he was sacked as Britain’s ambassador - but asked for more than half a million pounds. The documents also revealed a member of the department’s Government Security Group - who was involved in Lord Mandelson's security clearance - appearing to admit not knowing how an enhanced clearance system, known as Strap, worked. In addition to her letter to Lord Beamish, Ms Little wrote to Conservative MP Simon Hoare, chairman of the Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, and Labour MP Dame Emily Thornberry, who chairs the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee.