The release of the “Mandelson files” comes at a difficult moment in relations between the US and UK. It is unlikely to ease tensions.

The UK government has submitted to pressure from MPs to disclose files relating to the hiring and vetting of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US. Questions have been raised about how much officials, including the prime minister, Keir Starmer, knew about Mandelson’s friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein after his conviction for sex offences in 2008.

The key takeaway from the release doesn’t relate to the US president, Donald Trump. This is that Mandelson tried to negotiate a severance package worth £547,201 after being asked to leave his post in Washington. He ended up getting £75,000. But there are details in the documents that will not be welcomed by the US, and the nature of the release will be of concern to a White House already under pressure for its own approach to Epstein.

Trump has already spent recent weeks publicly criticising Starmer for failing to support him on Iran, saying Starmer is no “Winston Churchill”. The release of these files may well lend further opportunity for Trump to hit out.

Lack of control

The questions about how much Starmer knew about Mandelson and Epstein arose in the first place after the US government partially released the Epstein files in January. These included email exchanges between Mandelson and Epstein revealing a relationship that extended long after the latter’s conviction. They have also led to a police investigation over communications made between the two men while Mandelson was a government minister. These allegedly relate to sensitive government information rather than anything relating sex offences.

Trump will not like the fact that this release has brought the Epstein files back into the spotlight – and particularly that it is happening in circumstances beyond his control.

Trump has repeatedly called for the Department of Justice to “move on” from this story, having faced questions about his own relationship with Epstein. He recently attacked CNN journalist Kaitlan Collins for not smiling as she asked him questions about the Epstein files, in a clear attempt to distract public attention.

There is a risk that the Mandelson document release will renew pressure on Trump to release the full cache of documents held by the US government – and that he will seek to divert attention by lashing out again at Starmer.

Unsurprisingly, given that many of these released documents were written for private consumption, they contain some comments that may be embarrassing for the authors and subjects.

In the documents, we can see the UK government reviewed public comments Mandelson made condemning Trump policies prior to his appointment as ambassador, apparently to consider whether they were a problem during the vetting process.

When speaking to students in Hong Kong, Mandelson said: “it’s also necessary to recognise Mr Trump’s behaviour for what it is: he is a bully and mercantilist who thinks that the US will gain in trade only when others are losing”. Trump will likely be annoyed by this attack on his treasured “tariffs” policy.

Crucially, given that Starmer appointed Mandelson despite these comments, these documents also show that the UK government did not object to Mandelson’s view.

London v Washington

The release from the UK will fuel a debate that has begun on the difference between how London and Washington have both responded to the the revelations in the Epstein files. The Trump administration continues to refuse to release its own files in full – and continues to be accused of covering up Trump’s relationship with Epstein.

The UK government has demonstrated that it is willing to fire people over their relationships with Epstein and that it won’t protect them from police investigation. Now it has shown willingness to release files showing how much the government knew about these relations. This is of course not the full release of files and Starmer insists several key items can’t be released because they are part of an ongoing police investigation, but it still leaves space for criticism of the US.

Trump and his administration will have been hoping that media attention would move on, focusing on the controversial airstrikes on Iran, or continuing ICE raids across US cities. It will not welcome inevitable comparisons between its unwillingness to act on revelations from the Epstein files – or to keep releasing more files – and the UK government’s decision to do both.

Crucially, US government officials will be watching for further document releases to see if this situation gets any worse.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has pledged that the government “will not tolerate” heating oil suppliers exploiting the Middle East crisis for profit.

During a visit to Belfast on Thursday, Sir Keir will stress that home heating oil costs must be “fair, transparent and justifiable”.

He will meet with political leaders, including First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, amid increasing concerns about the Middle East war’s impact on energy prices.

This issue is particularly pertinent in Northern Ireland, where around two-thirds of domestic properties depend on home heating oil.

Global oil prices have surged sharply due to the conflict, with Iran launching strikes following attacks by the US and Israel, directly contributing to the rise in home heating oil expenses.

The market in Northern Ireland, unlike gas and electricity, is unregulated.

Treasury minister Lord Livermore met with some Northern Ireland MPs on Wednesday to discuss the issue.

The Government said Sir Keir will use his visit to Northern Ireland to “highlight his relentless focus on cutting the cost of living for working people”.

A statement said: “Recognising that the majority of households in Northern Ireland rely on heating oil to heat their homes, the Prime Minister will send the strong message to companies that prices must be fair, transparent and justifiable, not inflated at the expense of working people.

“If companies hike prices without justification, the Government will act, including through regulation.”

The Prime Minister said: “Global instability has real impacts on the lives of working people across the UK, and I know families in Northern Ireland are worried about what the war in the Middle East could mean for their finances – especially given so many households rely on heating oil to heat their homes.

“Let me be clear, we will not tolerate profiteering or unfair practices.

“If companies fleece customers or rip them off, we will not hesitate to step in, and that includes on regulation.

“This Government stands with working people, no matter the headwinds.

“In Belfast I am spending my time meeting not only the politicians making decisions in Stormont, but also the people whose lives are shaped by conflicts abroad and the approach we take at home.”

The Government has asked the Competition and Markets Authority to look at heating oil prices.

During the visit, the Prime Minister will also meet with members of a local community to discuss the cost of living.

The Girvan company has implemented a structured programme to align people, processes and strategy, building stronger, more resilient operations.

Land Energy, based in South Ayrshire, has been named the winner of the Resilience Award at the 2026 Industry Awards hosted by the Centre for Engineering, Education and Development (CeeD).

The award recognises organisations that demonstrate exceptional ability to strengthen operations, adapt to change and build long-term resilience through effective leadership, strategy and continuous improvement.

The Girvan company implemented a structured programme to align people, processes and strategy, building stronger, more resilient operations.

Early improvements from targeted initiatives and gap analysis are already delivering measurable benefits.

And these results form the foundation for ongoing organisational growth, strengthening internal systems and ensuring the organisation is well positioned to adapt and grow in a rapidly changing energy landscape.

In addition, it illustrates how the company is becoming more adaptable, especially in the current geopolitically uncertain era.

Reg Stewart, Business Excellence Lead at Land Energy, said: “We are incredibly proud to receive this award from CeeD.

“Building resilience is about ensuring the organisation is strong, flexible, and ready for the future.

“Our entire team has been working hard to review our processes, identify opportunities for improvement, and align our people and systems around a clear long-term vision.

“This award reflects commitment across the whole business to continuous improvement and operational excellence.”

Reg added: “We would also like to thank all the other nominees and CeeD for an amazing evening.”

The CeeD Industry Awards celebrate organisations across Scotland that demonstrate excellence in innovation, knowledge exchange, skills development, internationalisation, collaboration and leadership.

Land Energy’s success highlights the strength of Scotland’s renewable energy and manufacturing sectors and the importance of resilient organisations in supporting sustainable economic growth in Scotland and the wider UK.

Founded in 2006, Land Energy is now the UK’s largest producer of sustainable wood pellets and briquettes, supplying low-carbon renewable fuel to homes and businesses nationwide.

The company also manufactures a range of sustainable products, including pizza pellets, cat litter, horse bedding and a new soil conditioner, Solivita.

Filip Jorgensen’s costly error at the Parc des Princes was the pivotal moment as Chelsea suffered a late collapse to lose 5-2 to Paris St Germain in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

The visitors had twice recovered from a goal down and looked like surviving an intriguing match with a draw when, in the 74th minute, Jorgensen’s pass was cut out easily by Bradley Barcola, substitute Khvicha Kvaratskhelia squared it and Vitinha chipped the stranded goalkeeper.

Malo Gusto and Enzo Fernandez had earlier scored equalisers in answer to goals by Barcola and Ousmane Dembele.

Then came Jorgensen’s awful misjudgement, a blow Chelsea clearly struggled psychologically to recover from. Kvaratskhelia curled in a brilliant fourth soon after then tapped in a fifth in stoppage time as the holders twisted the knife.

Chelsea were brave in coming to the home of the European champions and taking them on but their nativity was their undoing.

They were too casual about the threat posed by PSG, leaving space for Dembele and for Barcola, not giving their all in challenging for second balls and too easily pulled out of shape by rapid transitions.

These are the missing details that will almost certainly mean an exit next week for Liam Rosenior’s side, but they also exposed PSG’s own defensive vulnerabilities – Barcola in particular was horribly at fault for Gusto’s goal – and there remains a sniff of encouragement that the holders can be beaten.

There was no suggestion Chelsea had come to Paris to keep it tight and stay in the tie. They came at the European champions with a high line and plenty pushed forward as they sought to play the game in the hosts’ half.

They could have scored in the first few minutes, Reece James crossing low from the right but Joao Pedro failed to make good contact.

This though is a team prone to defensive lapses. They had already got away once with failing to deal with a ball as it bounced inside their box when PSG punished them.

Dembele was given space on the right to cross, Joao Neves was left with room to nod it down for Barcola who controlled with his chest then thundered it in off the bar.

Chelsea have been accused of wilting in adversity but here they dug in and hit back. Fernandez’s clever switch of the play found Gusto with virtually the freedom of the PSG box after Barcola switched off.

The defender took a touch and drilled it and though Matvei Safonov got a hand on it the ball bounced past him and in.

A wild 14-second spell ended with PSG retaking the lead.

Cole Palmer should have scored with a free effort hit straight at Safonov. The ball was cleared and in a flash Dembele was streaking over the halfway line. Wesley Fofana recovered and got goal side but the Ballon d’Or winner turned him with some ease before sending a low finish into the corner.

Pedro Neto had shown in the first half that he had the beating of Marquinhos for pace and he showed the PSG captain his heels again to set up the equaliser, racing into the box and pulling back for Fernandez who rifled into the top corner.

Then came Jorgensen’s dreadful misjudgement to let in Vitinha to score before Kvaratskhelia’s brace all but finished the tie.

Antonin Kinsky has thanked those who have sent him messages of support on social media after a “nightmare” display in Tottenham Hotspur’s Champions League defeat at Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

The Czech goalkeeper was substituted after 17 minutes with Spurs trailing 3-0 in the Spanish capital, having made errors which led to Atletico’s first and third goals.

The Premier League side went on to lose the first leg of their last-16 tie 5-2.

Kinsky posted on his Instagram story: “Thanks for the messages. From dream to nightmare to dream again. See you.”

The 22-year-old was consoled by several team-mates as he made his way off the field.

Spurs manager Igor Tudor, who had selected him to start ahead of Guglielmo Vicario, did not acknowledge Kinsky at the time but said in his post-match media conference that he had spoken with his goalkeeper afterwards.

The former Croatia international said of the substitution: “It was necessary to preserve the guy and preserve the team.

“It was, before the game, the right choice to do in the moment we are [in] – pressure on Vicario, another competition and Toni is a very good goalkeeper.

“So it was, for me, the right decision. After, it’s easy to say it was not the right decision.

“I explained to Toni, speaking after, that he is the right guy and a good goalkeeper. Unfortunately, these mistakes happened in this big game.”

A look at Manchester City’s fixtures after Pep Guardiola’s side were humbled by Real Madrid at the Bernabeu as Federico Valverde scored a first-half hat-trick to hand the La Liga giants victory

Manchester City’s attention will turn to other priorities this weekend after a disappointing defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League. A Federico Valverde-inspired performance put Los Blancos in the driving seat for a place in the quarter-finals after a 3-0 win.

The Uruguay star bagged a hat-trick in the Spanish capital as Gianluigi Donnarumma was made to pay for storming out of his goal. Things got little better from there.

Pep Guardiola’s side cannot dwell on the scoreline as the prospect of a Premier League title race returns this weekend. City are seven points behind Arsenal in the division, but with a game in hand.

They will fall another game behind the Gunners on Saturday, as Mikel Arteta’s men face Everton a matter of hours before City take on West Ham at the London Stadium. The pressure could well and truly be on by the time 8pm arrives.

Only two games remain before the two teams face off in the Carabao Cup final, looking to win the first piece of silverware of the season, before FA Cup duties then arise after the international break.

It remains to be seen whether Arsenal and City have additional Champions League duties after that, or space to breathe. Guardiola’s side must pull off a remarkable comeback at the Etihad in seven days’ time, while their north London rivals must beat Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates.

All eyes will be on the title-topping meeting between the clubs on April 19, however. That will be a significant match, as they all are from here on out.

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Here, the Manchester Evening News takes a look at City’s upcoming fixtures compared to title rivals Arsenal….

Manchester City’s next seven fixtures in all competitions

West Ham (A) – March 14 – Premier League

Real Madrid (H) – March 17 – Champions League

Arsenal (N) – March 22 – Carabao Cup

Liverpool (H) – April 4/5 – FA Cup

April 7 – Potential Champions League quarter-final first leg

Chelsea (A) – April 12 – Premier League

April 14 – Potential Champions League quarter-final second leg

Arsenal (H) – April 19 – Premier League

Burnley (A) – April 26 – Premier League

Arsenal’s next seven fixtures in all competitions

Everton (H) – March 14 – Premier League

Bayer Leverkusen (H) – March 17 – Champions League

Manchester City (N) – March 22 – Carabao Cup

Southampton (A) – April 4/5 – FA Cup

April 7 – Potential Champions League quarter-final first leg

Bournemouth (H) – April 11 – Premier League

April 14 – Potential Champions League quarter-final second leg

Man City (A) – April 19 – Premier League

Newcastle (H) – April 25 – Premier League

The government has responded to calls to create an independent panel

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The government has rejected calls – including from hundreds of people in Greater Manchester – for a new way for parents to appeal over school absences.

At present, headteachers decide whether a child’s absence is unauthorised, with parents having little chance to appeal.

The petition, which has been signed by 14,968 people across the UK, calls for an independent panel to be set up to help ‘prevent bias’ in recording absences from school.

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It states: “As it stands, the decision whether a school absence is authorised or not lies solely with the headteacher or designated attendance officer. If this person deems the absence as not “exceptional” enough, or marks an illness absence as unauthorised, there is no formal right of appeal for parents.

“I’m proposing that the Government sets up an independent national appeals panel to allow parents to appeal a heads decision. This will prevent bias, ensure transparency, and put a stop to blanket policies within schools. Often, the nature of the absence means it should either be marked as authorised under code ‘I’, or authorised under code ‘C’ which is leave for exceptional circumstances. If a FPN is issued, parents are forced to risk court and a criminal conviction or accept liability by paying the FPN.”

How many people have signed the petition in my area?

In Greater Manchester almost 750 people have signed the petition as of 9.30pm on Wednesday, March 11. You can see how many people have signed the petition in your constituency below:

Altrincham and Sale West: 10

Ashton-under-Lyne: 44

Blackley and Middleton South: 27

Bolton North East: 23

Bolton South and Walkden:36

Bolton West: 15

Bury North: 26

Bury South: 16

Cheadle: 20

Gorton and Denton: 26

Hazel Grove: 30

Heywood and Middleton North: 34

Leigh and Atherton: 41

Makerfield: 38

Manchester Central: 24

Manchester Rusholme: 7

Manchester Withington: 8

Oldham East and Saddleworth: 27

Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton: 25

Rochdale: 25

Salford: 34

Stalybridge and Hyde: 44

Stockport: 29

Stretford and Urmston: 15

Wigan: 51

Worsley and Eccles: 32

Wythenshawe and Sale East: 39

Government response:

In a response to the petition published on Wednesday, March 11, the Government said it had no plans to introduce an independent panel.

It said: “The Government has no plans to introduce an independent national appeals panel for school absences and believes there are already sufficient routes for parents to challenge inaccurate absence coding.

“The Government has no plans to introduce an independent national appeals panel for school absences. When determining the most appropriate attendance or absence code, teachers and headteachers should use their professional judgement of each pupil’s individual circumstances, context and educational needs, alongside the ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance and information provided by the parent or guardian. Existing processes including informal conversations, use of the school’s complaints procedure, local authority complaints procedures, Ofsted inspections and escalation routes to DfE and to the Local Government Ombudsman provide appropriate channels for oversight and raising concerns, negating the need for a separate appeals structure.

“Parents have a legal duty under the Education Act 1996 to ensure that their child of compulsory school age (5-16) receives a full‑time education, either by attending school or otherwise. Where a child is registered at a school, parents must ensure they attend regularly. Parents can be penalised if their child is absent from school without authorisation.

“We recognise there are situations in which a pupil is unable to attend school for a legally recognised reason. The Education Act 1996 sets out these situations in which an absent pupil will not be taken to have failed to attend school regularly. These include illness or other unavoidable circumstances, religious observance, where the school has given prior permission for absence, or where the local authority has not fulfilled any duty it has to help the child attend.

“Schools must record attendance in line with the School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024 and with regard to the DfE’s statutory guidance ‘Working together to improve school attendance’. Decisions about how an absence should be recorded depend on the individual facts of each case. Headteachers and school staff know their pupils well and are therefore best placed to decide how an absence should be recorded. In the vast majority of cases, a parent’s notification that their child is ill should be sufficient for the school to authorise the absence using code I (illness). Schools also have discretion to grant a leave of absence in exceptional circumstances and parents should speak to their headteacher and present their case where they feel that such an absence is required.

“The Department has however made clear in statutory guidance that, generally, a need or desire for a holiday or other absence for the purpose of leisure and recreation would not constitute an exceptional circumstance. The majority of penalty notices (93% in the 2024-25 academic year) are issued for term-time holidays.

“Introducing an independent appeals panel would be inappropriate, given the ‘Working Together To Improve School Attendance’ guidance states that parents, schools and local authorities hold responsibility for pupils’ attendance. It would also create a bureaucratic process for thousands of routine attendance decisions made every day. This would generate significant administrative burden for schools, local authorities and any central appeals body, which would need funding, diverting time and resources away from teaching and supporting pupils.

“The Government believes that existing routes already provide clear and fair ways for parents to raise concerns. Where a parent believes an absence has been wrongly recorded, they should discuss this with the school in the first instance. If they remain dissatisfied, they can make a formal complaint through the school’s complaints procedure. If they believe the school has acted unlawfully, they can also escalate their complaint to the Department for Education or, where relevant, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

“Local authorities also have established processes for reviewing evidence before issuing a penalty notice for unauthorised absence. Although there is no separate legal right of appeal, parents can challenge a penalty notice with the issuing local authority if they believe it was wrongly issued. Parents may provide evidence to support their case, and the authority must consider it carefully. If parents do not pay the notice and wish to contest it, the case may proceed to court, where they can present their arguments before magistrates. This provides an additional safeguard for parents who believe they have been treated unfairly.

“For these reasons, the Government does not believe that a new national appeals panel is necessary or appropriate. The current system already allows schools to apply professional judgement, gives parents clear ways to raise concerns or challenge decisions, and ensures that local authorities act carefully and proportionately in enforcing school attendance. This approach helps maintain consistency while keeping decision‑making close to the pupils and families who are directly affected.”

The Labour York and North Yorkshire mayor said walking with special goggles and with a cane along Walmgate was very overwhelming and made him feel vulnerable.

Scott Jobson, chief executive of MySight York who hosted the mayor, said he hoped the walk gave him a sense of the challenges people they help face.

Royal National Institute of Blind People’s (RNIB) North Yorkshire campaigns lead Lewis Winton said the powerful experience was an opportunity to show what living with sight loss is like.

It comes as Mr Skaith visited the charity, based in Walmgate, on Wednesday, March 11.

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The mayor spoke to people who work with them and to blind and partially-sighted people including about getting around York, finding support and adapting to life with visual impairments.

MySight is a local charity with more than 1,700 members which helps people live independent lives and connects them to others through activities, socialising and counselling.

The visit saw Mr Skaith try on several goggles which simulate different kinds of sight conditions including cataracts and diabetic retinopathy.

York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith (centre) with MySight Chief Executive Scott Jobson (second, right) and RNIB North Yorkshire campaigns lead Lewis Winton (end right), outside MySight, in Walmgate, York. Picture is from LDRS

Charity staff then took him on to Walmgate with goggles on giving the wearer the vision they would have if they had Retinitis Pigmentosa.

The condition refers to the total loss of peripheral vision, otherwise known as tunnel vision.

Mr Skaith walked with assistance from a MySight worker down Walmgate.

He was then given a cane and walked without physical help from staff.

The mayor told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) what the experience was like immediately after the walk.

He said: “It was very overwhelming, you realise how quickly you can become incredibly vulnerable and isolated.

“If you were doing this on your own in a new environment that you didn’t know it would be incredibly challenging, you can see why a lot of people struggle to manage.

“After this, I want to make sure what the combined authority’s currently doing on its strategy for transport and on efforts to get more people back into jobs works for everyone.”

York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith (centre) on a guided walk with MySight in Walmgate, York. Picture is from LDRS

MySight Chief Executive Mr Jobson said he was grateful the mayor took the time to visit the charity.

He said: “Experiences like the guided walk help bring to life some of the everyday barriers faced by people living with sight loss.

“We hope the visit gave David a sense of both those challenges and the important role MySight York plays in helping blind and partially sighted people across York live independent, confident and connected lives.”

Now, there is a new man in the Madrid dugout, with Alvaro Arbeloa taking over from Xabi Alonso. He locks horns with Guardiola for the first time in his nascent managerial career, with the City boss eyeing a fourth European crown of his career after two with Barcelona and one with City.

WASHINGTON (AP) — House lawmakers were digging into Jeffrey Epstein’s sprawling financial portfolio on Wednesday as a committee deposed his former accountant and tried to understand his connections to some of the world’s wealthiest men.

Richard Kahn, who worked closely with Epstein for years and now serves as an executor of his estate, appeared for the closed-door deposition on Capitol Hill. He told lawmakers that he had not personally seen evidence of Epstein’s sexual abuse, but provided a fuller picture of how Epstein acquired his wealth. The wealthy financier made hundreds of millions of dollars over two decades, during which he struck up friendships with some of the world’s most powerful men.

Kahn “was under the impression that Epstein made his money as a tax advisor and a financial planner,” said Rep. James Comer, the Republican chair of the House Oversight Committee. Lawmakers argued that a fuller picture of Epstein’s finances could help the public understand how, for years, he was able to get away with trafficking and sexually abusing underage girls.

“Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking ring would not have been possible without Richard Kahn, who managed Epstein’s money for years, authorized payments, including payments to victims and survivors,” said Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-Va., who added that Kahn told them he was unable to recall details of some of the transactions and communications that he was asked about.

Kahn has said that he was unaware of Epstein’s sexual abuse and had not seen any of his victims.

Comer, R-Ky., also said that lawmakers confirmed during the deposition that Epstein received significant amounts of money from former retail shopping chain executive Les Wexner, hedge fund manager Glenn Dubin, tech entrepreneur Steven Sinofsky, investor Leon Black and the Rothschilds, a wealthy banking family.

None of those people have been accused of wrongdoing in their relationships with Epstein, but Democrats on the committee argued that anyone with ties to the wealthy financier should be scrutinized. Wexner was deposed by the committee last month, and Comer has also called on Black, among several others, to appear for transcribed interviews.

Kahn also told lawmakers that Epstein had financial ties to Ehud Barak, who was the prime minister of Israel from 1999 to 2001, according to Democratic Rep. Suhas Subramanyam. Barak has not been accused of wrongdoing and has said he regrets his friendship with Epstein.

Comer also said Wednesday that the committee has reviewed over 40,000 documents that it subpoenaed from JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank. Epstein was connected to at least 64 business entities, according to Comer.

Republican President Donald Trump has strongly denied any wrongdoing in his own ties to Epstein, and Comer said that Kahn had never seen any financial transactions between Epstein and Trump. Comer said that Kahn is the latest witness to testify that they had never seen Trump doing anything wrong with Epstein.

“The investigation’s about getting the truth to the American people, trying to figure out how the government failed, answer questions we all have,” Comer said.