Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Athena Stavrou

Foreign secretary fails to defend Starmer after Mandelson messages published

  • The Foreign secretary stated that Peter Mandelson should "never have been appointed" as Britain's ambassador to the US, following the publication of damning messages.
  • During her visit to China, Yvette Cooper declined to affirm Sir Keir Starmer 's strength as a leader or comment on Mandelson's criticism that the Prime Minister "lacks verve".
  • The government is facing scrutiny after releasing a second tranche of documents detailing Mandelson's appointment, which revealed his critical views of Sir Keir's Downing Street operation.
  • Sir Keir sacked Mandelson in September 2025 due to pressure following leaked emails showing the peer sent supportive messages to Jeffrey Epstein.
  • The released documents also showed Mandelson's refusal to hand over personal communications and included internal Labour Party criticisms, such as Pat McFadden's comments on the Parliamentary Labour Party.

IN FULL

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.