The Conservative Party has accused the government of failing to adhere to the humble address instructing them to release all documents related to Peter Mandelson’s appointment and are “looking at any possible route” to get them to “comply in full”.
The Tories have insisted there are still “so many questions to answer” after the government released the second tranche of documents related to the appointment of Mandelson as US ambassador.
The release included thousands of messages between those at the heart of government and the disgraced Labour Peer, but the Conservatives have criticised the lack of certain details.
Asked if they believed the government had complied in full with the humble address, Kemi Badenoch’s spokesman said: “Quite frankly, no.”
He added: “We are looking at any route we can to get the full the government to comply in full with the terms of the humble address.”
The spokesman claimed there is a “lacuna of things where there should be details”, including a record of when the decision to appoint Mandelson was taken.
“The fact that there is no record of that decision being taken, nothing official, no official paper, it just stinks,” he said, and also criticised Sir Keir Starmer’s use of disappearing messages on WhatsApp.
The spokesperson declined to give details on which measures could be taken, but last week, The Tories confirmed to The Independent that they will table a motion holding ministers in contempt of parliament if the government fails to comply with the humble address.
A number of Labour MPs confirmed that they will support the motion, which would then trigger an inquiry by the Commons Privileges Committee.
Shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel told The Independent last week: “Labour are lying to the country. Should they defy parliament’s will by refusing to release key files – a clear example of contempt – we will use every available tool to force them to come clean with MPs and the public.”
One of the Labour MPs willing to back a contempt motion, Kim Johnson, said: “I think colleagues would be inclined to support this, they would want to distance themselves from the corruption and sleaze.”
Another Labour MP said: “Starmer... he has no authority and anything he now does that undermines us [Labour] further will have limited tolerance.”
A second tranche of more than 1,000 pages of documents related to Lord Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador were released on Monday.
The documents – which include thousands of previously private messages between figures at the heart of government and Lord Mandelson – lay bare Lord Mandelson’s damning opinion of the government, as he warned that Sir Keir’s Downing Street operation was “beleaguered and bereft”.
Other messages revealed infighting within the Labour Party, with the work and pensions minister Pat McFadden having criticised Labour MPs in messages to Lord Mandelson.
Mr McFadden criticised the Parliamentary Labour Party, telling Lord Mandelson: “Every meeting I have is ‘who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others’. They’re asking the wrong questions.”
The Independent has contacted the Cabinet Office for a comment.
