Labour MPs say they will vote down plan to limit Mandelson disclosures
Labour MPs have warned they will vote down a government amendment to limit the disclosures about Peter Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to the US, with government sources saying they may be forced to change their own amendment,The former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner and the chair of the Treasury select committee, Meg Hillier, have publicly asked the government to allow the intelligence and security committee (ISC) to review the documents before public disclosure,MPs said they believed that anger was so vast among the parliamentary party that it posed a significant threat to Keir Starmer’s premiership,“This is Boris and Chris Pincher on steroids,” one senior Labour figure said, referring to the scandal that brought down Boris Johnson,No 10 had been intending to release documents later on Wednesday, but Starmer’s spokesperson said that had been complicated after contact from the Metropolitan police.
Police have launched a criminal investigation into whether there had been misconduct in a public office over sensitive government documents that appeared to have been forwarded from Mandelson to Jeffrey Epstein,The Conservatives have forced a vote on the release of the documents, and the government has said it will release the vetting process for Mandelson’s appointment, which they claim will show he lied about his relationship with the convicted child sex offender,But the government’s amendment would mean the cabinet secretary could refuse to disclose documents that prejudiced national security or international relations – an exemption that many MPs have told the Guardian they believe is too broad,Instead Rayner and Hillier have said the government should allow the select committee to have oversight over what is disclosed,Questioned repeatedly at prime minister’s questions, Starmer said Mandelson had “betrayed our country” in his dealings with the disgraced financier.
“He lied repeatedly to my team, when asked about his relationship with Epstein before and during his tenure as ambassador,” the prime minister said.“I regret appointing him.If I knew then what I know now, he would never been anywhere near government.“I want to make sure this house sees the full documentation, so it will see for itself the extent to which, time and time again, Mandelson completely misrepresented the extent of his relationship with Epstein, and lied throughout the process, including in response to the due diligence.”In the Conservative-led debate, Rayner said the government needed to go further.
“Given the public disgust and the sickening behaviour of Peter Mandelson and the importance of transparency … should the ISC not have the same role now [as in relation to a previous humble address] in keeping public confidence in the process?” she said,The Cabinet Office minister, Nick Thomas-Symonds, said he would consider the changes,“I am hearing what the house is saying and I will take that point away,” he said,Ministers are willing to rewrite the government’s amendment, insiders say, and to give the intelligence and security committee a role in deciding what gets published,MPs from across the house used the debate to call for the ISC to take charge of those decisions rather than the cabinet secretary.
Officials say the prime minister is willing to rewrite his amendment, but wants to ensure the process does not become a “party political” one that the Conservatives use to damage the government further.The chair of the ISC is Kevan Jones, a Labour peer and former defence minister.The committee is made up of a mix of MPs and peers from different parties, with Labour the most well represented.Downing Street officials said that Mandelson had misrepresented his relationship with Epstein “time and time again” - both directly to the prime minister and his team.Mandelson underwent a two-step vetting process.
The first was “due diligence” by the Cabinet Office’s propriety and ethics team, which sent a document to No 10 with outstanding questions before his appointment was made in late 2024.This consisted of only information already in the public domain, including that Mandelson had stayed overnight at Epstein’s house and had an ongoing friendship with him post-conviction and release.The Guardian understands that Starmer or Morgan McSweeney, his chief of staff, questioned Mandelson on the allegations before his appointment themselves.However, they do not appear to have pushed for any further information and were satisfied with his answers at the time.After the appointment, but before Mandelson went to Washington, he underwent a second, more secretive part of the process.
This was developed vetting (DV) in which officials asked questions about sensitive issues including finances, business records, sexual history, foreign travel and personal relationships.Its aim was to establish whether he was being honest about his past, and if not, could he be susceptible to coercion.At no point in the DV process, which is never made public, was the information shared with any politicians.Instead, it provided a binary decision, with mitigations in place for any areas of concern.As Mandelson ended up in Washington, it is assumed the DV process gave him the green light.
It is unclear whether any mitigations were put in place.Despite that, No 10 said on Wednesday it had faith in the vetting process.Downing Street suggested the UK had not asked the US Department of Justice to see the Epstein documents before the appointment, repeatedly dodging questions on whether a request was made to view documents related to Mandelson before they were published.
From Dorset to the world: wave of donations helps to secure Cerne giant’s home
It feels like a very British monument: a huge chalk figure carved into a steep Dorset hillside that for centuries has intrigued lovers of English folklore and legend. But an appeal to raise money to help protect the Cerne giant – and the wildlife that shares the landscape it towers over – has shown that its allure stretches far beyond the UK.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more
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The Biennale of Sydney has revealed the final lineup details for its 25th edition, scheduled to open mid-March across five key venues, including White Bay Power Station, the Art Gallery of New South Wales and Penrith Regional Gallery.Featuring 83 artists, collaborations and collectives from 37 countries including Australia, the 25th Biennale of Sydney is titled “Rememory” – after the term coined by author Toni Morrison – and will “[explore] the intersection of memory and history as a means of revisiting, reconstructing, and reclaiming histories”.It represents the vision of artistic director Hoor Al Qasimi, the first Arab appointed to the role and the eighth woman in the festival’s 53-year history.Highlights announced on Tuesday include a giant functioning clay oven at White Bay Power Station in Rozelle, created by Argentinian sculptor Gabriel Chaile, which will be activated for the Biennale’s opening weekend and at key moments through the festival to serve visitors Peruvian cuisine. Also for food lovers is a large vat of tabbouleh, created by Lebanese artist Mounira Al Solh as part of a community-based performance in Granville
Meryl Streep is as withering as ever in first full-length trailer for Devil Wears Prada 2
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