Downing Street is reportedly set to begin releasing documents related to Lord Peter Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to Washington, with the first batch potentially emerging on Wednesday.
Cabinet minister Darren Jones is expected to address MPs after Prime Minister’s Questions, following media reports that No 10 is preparing the initial papers for disclosure.
This anticipated release comes after MPs last month ordered the government to make public thousands of documents concerning Lord Mandelson’s 2024 appointment. The demand stemmed from persistent questions surrounding the peer's vetting process and what was known about his connections to convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The timing of the expected disclosure has drawn accusations from the Conservatives, who claim the Prime Minister is attempting to "dodge questions" about Lord Mandelson’s suitability by scheduling the release after the weekly parliamentary scrutiny.
Shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart said: “His fingers are all over this.
“He’s already admitted that he knew about Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with Epstein when he appointed him.
“Time and again his judgment has been found wanting.”
A Commons motion called for the release of a huge range of material, including messages between Lord Mandelson and ministers and senior officials that could prove embarrassing for the Government.
Following the vote, Sir Keir Starmer said he wanted to ensure “urgency and transparency” and apologised for believing the peer’s “lies” about the extent of his relationship with Epstein.
Some files are expected to be withheld for national security or foreign relations reasons, but the final say over which documents are redacted rests with Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee.
Ministers had initially proposed giving the cabinet secretary control over which papers should be withheld, but backed down in the face of opposition from Labour backbenchers.
The Government has also agreed a framework with the Metropolitan Police on which documents can be released without prejudicing the ongoing police investigation into Lord Mandelson, according to the ISC.
Lord Mandelson was arrested on February 23 on suspicion of misconduct in public office, having been accused of passing sensitive information on to Epstein during his time as business secretary.
He was subsequently bailed, but later released from his bail conditions, although he remains under investigation.
The Cabinet Office declined to comment on the timetable for releasing the first tranche of documents.
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