Labour Backbench Anger Forces No 10 To Release Mandelson Documents

Keir Starmer is to publish key documents about Peter Mandelson’s appointment as the UK’s ambassador to Washington in a bid to avoid a massive Labour backbench rebellion.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has tabled a motion which, if passed by the Commons, would force the government to release the behind-the-scenes communications prior to Mandelson landing the plum role.

The move comes after police launched a criminal investigation into allegations the former Labour business secretary passed market-sensitive information to his friend, the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, about the government’s response to the 2008 financial crash.

Downing Street has previously refused to publish the communications between senior government figures which led to Mandelson landing the plum diplomatic role a year ago.

He was sacked just seven months later after it emerged he had maintained contact with Epstein even after his conviction for soliciting a child for prostitution.

Labour MPs had made it clear to party bosses that they were prepared to vote for Badenoch’s motion, raising the prospect of an embarrassing defeat for the government.

A senior Labour source told HuffPost UK: “We can’t whip our MPs to oppose this. There’s no chance they’ll protect him.”

Backbencher Clive Efford told the BBC: “Every Labour MP will be absolutely distraught at what he has done to our party and feel really let down, and they all understand that warts and all this has got to be put out in the open.”

Richard Burgon MP told Sky News: “How on earth did [Mandelson] end up being appointed by the prime minister to the key role of ambassador to the United States of America? It’s quite incredible.”

He added: “We cannot have a situation where the government is dragged kicking and screaming to do the right thing.

“What’s really important is that we know exactly what happened which resulted in Mandelson being appointed US ambassador, so that means a paper trail.

“It also means knowing who pushed for it, who warned against it and who tried to overcome those warnings.”

Starmer has published his own motion pledging to release the documents, apart from those relating to national security or that could harm relations with other countries.

Health secretary Wes Streeting said: “The prime minister’s going for maximum transparency here.

“He’s obviously drawing a line that people would understand and agree with, which is not releasing information where it might compromise our national security or where there might be information that might undermine international relations with other countries.

“Apart from those exceptions, the prime minister is going for real transparency here.”