1,000 Pages on Mandelson Show No Security Mitigation for US Envoy Appointment
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 31
1,000 Pages on Mandelson Show No Security Mitigation for US Envoy Appointment
8 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 31
More than 1,000 pages due Monday contain no record that Peter Mandelson accepted or was subject to measures addressing security concerns over his appointment as Washington ambassador, according to sources briefed on the files.
That gap undercuts evidence given to MPs by senior Whitehall officials, who said an email granting clearance recorded how the highest UKSV risks would be managed or mitigated.
The concerns stemmed from red flags over Mandelson’s links to senior figures in China, Russia and Israel; one former MI6 chief said risks on that scale would have made meaningful mitigations impossible.
The release follows a parliamentary humble address after Mandelson was sacked over disclosures about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, and ministers expect further embarrassing messages that could deepen pressure on Keir Starmer.
Beyond Epstein, what bombshells about Mandelson's appointment are hidden in the government's files?
Will the Mandelson papers reveal a national security failure or a political cover-up?