Mandelson files latest: Starmer to chair Cabinet meeting after files reveal criticism of ‘beleaguered’ No10 operation

There were no “cosy” messages between Peter Mandelson and Keir Starmer because they “didn’t get on”, Emily Thornberry has suggested.

It comes amid skepticism over a lack of messages between the two in the documents released on Monday.

The Labour MP told Sky New that Starmer’s absence showed the extent of influence that Morgan McSweeney had.

“He wants to give his mentor the last big job, and he just went for it and pushed everybody else out the way, all objections out the way”.

Dame Emily Thornberry said key questions were yet to be answered following the latest release of the Mandelson files.

The senior Labour MP said she it is still unclear how the disgraced former ambassador got his job and was afraid the saga was “going to run and run”.

She told The Cathy Newman Show on Sky News: “I want to know how he got the job.

“I haven’t had those, and they’re the important things. What did the vetting mean? In order to get around the vetting, what did people agree to do? Or did they not? Or did they just decide to look the other way?”

She added: “I think we need to wait for the third lot of papers that will come from the police.

“Once the police have finished their investigation, at that stage, I will be saying ‘have you answered my question yet? Why did he get the job.”

The former Labour peer’s 4am messages contain damning disclosures that could haunt Labour for years to come, argues Simon Walters

Another senior Labour member was unable to hand over his messages with Lord Peter Mandelson because his personal phone was stolen.

Cabinet minister Nick Thomas-Symonds’ WhatsApp exchanges with Lord Mandelson from 2024 were kept on the personal phone and were lost when it was stolen.

His phone was nicked on 15 October last year, and he reported it to the Cabinet Office security team and police the same day, it is understood.

The minister explained the messages he could recall and did not exchange any messages with Lord Mandelson on his work phone.

Mr Thomas-Symonds, who is also the EU relations minister, met Lord Mandelson in January 2025 for a meeting.

The details of the meeting were released in the form of official minutes, which say they discussed next steps for the planned EU reset.

It comes after Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, was unable to share his messages after his phone was also stolen.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson: “We were called Wednesday, 15 October at around 23:25hrs, 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 enquiries, but the case was closed after no suspects could be identified.”

Pat McFadden should consider resigning from the cabinet because he has been “disloyal” to the prime minister, Labour MP John McDonnell has said.

Mr McDonnell, who was shadow chancellor under Jeremy Corbyn, told Times Radio: “It looks as though Pat McFadden was Peter Mandelson’s person in cabinet. He was almost the representative of Peter Mandelson within government itself, feeding information to him, exchanging derogratoary remarks about Keir himself and Keir’s style of government.”

He said: “If I was Keir, I’d be asking Pat to consider his position,” as he questioned whether “Keir can have any confidence in him for the future.

“I would expect Pat himself to think himself about whether he should continue in his role because he’s clearly not been loyal, in fact quite disloyal, to the very person who’s appointed him.”

Wes Streeting and Lord Peter Mandelson had dinner with members of the Murdoch empire in July 2024, just days before the election.

The latest tranche of documents released by the government on Monday show messages between the two, in which Lord Mandelson says: “Message from Rebekah [Brooks, CEO of News UK] that Lachlan [Murdoch] really enjoyed the dinner and that they all thought everyone in great form and it felt like a genuine team spirit.”

Lachlan Murdoch is the CEO of Fox Corporation and son of Rupert Murdoch.

Mr Streeting responds: “The highlight of the evening was you pulling out the Times [newspaper] app and ribbing Tony [Gallagher, editor of The Times]”.

“These people have to be kept on their toes,” Lord Mandelson says.

The former health secretary then praised Lord Mandelson, saying “it was masterfully done.”

An ally of Wes Streeting told the BBC: “During the election campaign, at the request of Keir’s office, Wes met with the editors of the Guardian, the Sun and Times, to win their endorsements for Labour. He is proud of the part he played in booting the Tories out and getting a Labour government elected.”

Pat McFadden has seemingly addressed his comments to Lord Peter Mandelson, in which he said Labour MPs only ask “who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others”

In a post on X, the work and pensions minister wrote: “As I often say in interviews and in the department, ‘we have to change the question the system asks from ‘what benefits are you entitled to’ to ‘how do we help you change your life’.”

Documents released today showed messages to Lord Mandelson accusing Labour MPs of focusing on “who we can tax”.

Criticising the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), McFadden said: “Every meeting I have is ‘who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others’. They’re asking the wrong questions.”

Political editor David Maddox discusses being named in exchanges involving Peter Mandelson and how The Independent’s stories have embarrassed the government: