Peter Mandelson privately branded Sir Keir Starmer a prime minister who “lacks verve” presiding over a Downing Street operation he described as “beleaguered and bereft”, according to more than 1,000 pages of messages released on Monday. The files, which lay bare the extent to which government is conducted via WhatsApp, include thousands of previously private exchanges between figures at the heart of the administration, revealing the disgraced peer’s relentless unsolicited advice, his derision of colleagues and his scathing assessment of the Labour government’s direction.
Damning verdict on No 10
Lord Mandelson repeatedly characterised Sir Keir’s leadership as caught in an “advance/buckle” cycle, particularly over policy shifts on immigration, welfare and Gaza. The former Labour minister warned that the government “requires complete revamp and infusion of purpose and confidence to get anywhere”, adding that the problems “stem from the top”. He also told cabinet minister Pat McFadden that “rubbish in, rubbish out” was the result of poor advice and a lack of clear direction, and that businesses were losing confidence in the UK economy.
In an exchange with Mr McFadden on 3 May 2025, sent at around 4am US time, Lord Mandelson said the prime minister’s then chief of staff Morgan McSweeney had been “so confident” Labour would win the Runcorn by-election. After the party lost the seat to Reform, Mandelson urged ministers to adopt a more “Trumpian risk taking and dare devil way” to break out of the “Whitehall system and mould”. He wrote: “It does start right from the top, I am afraid, but you must all contribute more to it.”
The speculation extended to whether Sir Keir could survive a rebellion over plans to slash the welfare bill. As the revolt was unravelling, Mr McFadden wrote that the situation was “very bad”, warning that many of the options “all destroy his [the PM’s] authority”. Lord Mandelson replied: “If it presses to a vote and is lost I am not sure that Keir survives that.” Mr McFadden, the work and pensions secretary, has since said he has a long history of arguing for welfare reform.
Factional warfare and unsolicited advice
The files reveal deep internal tensions, with Lord Mandelson acting as a sometimes unwelcome conduit of back-channel commentary. He alleged that former prime minister Gordon Brown “has it in” for Sir Keir and Chancellor Rachel Reeves, and branded Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner an “instrument of destabilisation”. In a separate exchange, Mr McFadden accused Labour MPs of focusing on “who we can tax in order to pay benefits to others”, telling Mandelson there was “a lot of manoeuvring here” – including from Ms Rayner and Mr Brown – and that it “doesn’t feel good for Keir”.
Lord Mandelson turned his fire on Health Secretary Wes Streeting in July 2025, accusing him of having an “early midlife crisis” and describing his views on Israel as “wild, long, hysterical” and “pathetic”. Mr Streeting had previously stated that Israel was committing “war crimes” and described the situation as “calculated brutality”. The health secretary has since admitted he failed to take reports of Mandelson’s links to Jeffrey Epstein seriously in 2023.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy revealed he had wanted former chancellor George Osborne to take the Washington ambassador role that Lord Mandelson eventually secured, and said he raised concerns with No 10 about Mandelson’s suitability. Mandelson, however, sent Mr Lammy a note before his appointment stating he would “never regret” being made US ambassador.
Other revelations include Lord Mandelson consoling former transport minister Louise Haigh over her “harsh” exit before later congratulating her replacement, and expressing deep concern over Britain’s deal to hand over the Chagos Islands. He also discussed commissioning an official government “red box” as a gift for Donald Trump, likening the difficulties to “something out of The Thick of It” and saying he had “gone tonto” over the saga. The gift was eventually presented by Sir Keir Starmer. Separately, Mandelson actively lobbied ministers and Labour MPs for support in his unsuccessful 2024 campaign to become Chancellor of the University of Oxford, framing it as a chance for a Labour figure to win.
Government by WhatsApp – and the gaps left behind
The scale of the release – more than 1,000 pages – underscores how much of government business is now conducted through encrypted messaging. The files include thousands of previously private WhatsApp exchanges among ministers, advisers and officials, with Lord Mandelson repeatedly offering unsolicited advice to cabinet members, deriding colleagues and criticising government actions. Yet the peer himself “declined to comply” with a request to hand over his personal phone and allow the government to publish his WhatsApp messages and other information related to his appointment, the documents show.
Concerns have been raised about the potential loss of further messages due to WhatsApp’s “disappearing messages” feature, with the government unsure whether deleted messages can be retrieved. The Cabinet Office has spent more than £1 million releasing the documents, which the government has described as an “unprecedented piece of government transparency”. Critics point out that large portions remain redacted or withheld.
Police redactions fuel cover-up accusations
In a statement to the Commons, Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, confirmed that questions put to Lord Mandelson during the vetting process were being withheld at the request of the Metropolitan Police, alongside a huge number of other redactions. Many pages in the three volumes appear as blank sheets marked only with asterisks, prompting opposition MPs to warn of a “cover-up”.
Mr Jones said the Metropolitan Police had asked the government to withhold material “which they considered could be prejudicial to their ongoing criminal investigation or any subsequent prosecution”. He confirmed that this material includes “questions put to Peter Mandelson, by the prime minister’s then chief of staff, and Peter Mandelson’s responses”. Other withheld documents fall into categories of national security vetting information, conflict of interest processing material, and relevant internal correspondence with Mandelson. Mr Jones told MPs that no files were redacted without the approval of the Intelligence and Security Committee, and that “no government minister or special adviser has determined any of the redactions themselves”.
A nine-page summary document from the UK Security Vetting agency – outlining concerns that led to the denial of “developed vetting” clearance for Mandelson, including links to Chinese, Russian and Israeli individuals, a significant loan for an Israeli startup, and perceived naivety – has been withheld entirely. The released documents contain no record of any measures taken to mitigate those serious security concerns. Lord Mandelson was arrested in February as part of the Metropolitan Police investigation into alleged misconduct in public office linked to his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Sir Keir Starmer has apologised, stating: “It was me that made the mistake… and it’s me that makes the apology to the victims of Epstein.” He acknowledged being warned of “general reputational risk” before appointing Mandelson.
Labour leadership contender Andy Burnham, who is hoping to return to Westminster by winning the Makerfield by-election later this month, said the revelations “will further damage people’s confidence in our political system” and called for “fundamental culture change” to regain the trust of the electorate.
