𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Key documents regarding the appointment of Lord Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador are being held back by Labour, it has been claimed. Following revelations that the next tranche of the Mandelson Files will not be made available until after local elections, Conservative shadow minister Alex Burghart blasted the news as “utterly unacceptable”.

He told the Daily Express: “The Government should not be holding back these documents. Parliament gave the Government a strict instruction to hand over these papers. This is not optional. And yet the Prime Minister seems determined to keep the truth from the public until after the local elections. The Conservatives will keep fighting to get the truth.”

Previous document releases caused a major headache for Sir Keir Starmer after they showed he had left a vital note regarding his views on the appointment of Lord Mandelson empty. At the time the ‘box note’ being left empty was branded a “cover up” by the leader of the opposition Kemi Badenoch, an accusation which was denied by No10.

As part of an archaic parliamentary process, known as a ‘humble address’, the Conservative Party forced the government to release all files relating to the appointment of Lord Mandelson as US Ambassador. The first tranche, which was released as part of that process, revealed a number of shocking revelations including that the Prime Minister was wanted of the “general reputational risk” of appointing the now-disgraced peer.

The next tranche of the potential damning files will not be released until after the King’s Speech on May 13, which takes place after the local elections on May 7. Revealed on The State of It podcast, by the Times newspaper, the committee looking after the release of the files is said to be going through vast amounts of documentation and assessing whether they contain information that could damage national security or international relations.

The potential delay, caused by the process of review extending beyond the prorogation of Parliament next week, means the files will not be released before the King’s visit to the United States. Lord Mandelson’s appointment as Ambassador to the United States has caused repeated headaches for the Prime Minister after it emerged that he did not have security vetting – due to the clearance being denied on the recommendation of the security services.

Sir Keir has claimed he was not aware of the failure, and as such as not knowingly misled the House of Commons – which he has previously demanded former Prime Ministers resign for doing.

Today, Sir Olly Robbins, the former head of the foreign office who was sacked by Sir Keir after the revelation said that there had been “dismissive attitude” over vetting of the peer, and that No10 had placed enormous pressure on the FCDO to get him in post regardless.

Speaking to MP’s today the former Whitehall Mandarin said: “There was a very strong expectation […] coming from Number 10 that he needed to be in post and in America as quickly as humanly possible.”

A government spokesperson said: “We are grateful to the ISC for their time and consideration of the large number of documents they’re reviewing as part of the Humble Address process. Further documents have been gathered and we are working at pace to ensure the ISC has all relevant documentation as soon as possible.”