No 10 Will Have No Say on Which Mandelson Papers Are Released

Published: 27 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

The UK government has confirmed that No 10 Downing Street will not have the final authority over the publication of sensitive documents relating to Lord Peter Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to the United States, after Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) secured control of the release process. The move marks a significant shift in how politically sensitive material will be handled following intense scrutiny of Mandelson’s vetting and his links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The ISC announced on Thursday that Cabinet Office officials had provided a written assurance that the committee, rather than the Prime Minister or other government ministers, will determine which documents are made public. The assurance resolves a dispute over oversight of a vast tranche of government files that MPs have ordered to be released. These papers relate to the appointment of Mandelson — a veteran Labour politician and former European trade commissioner — as British ambassador in late 2024, amid questions about what was known about his association with Epstein at the time.

Under the agreed framework, some material is still expected to be withheld on national security or foreign relations grounds, but decisions on redactions and publication will rest with the ISC’s cross‑party panel of MPs and peers rather than Downing Street. ISC chairman Lord Beamish and other senior parliamentarians have emphasised that the committee will not defer to government pressure, even if revelations could prove politically uncomfortable.

The decision follows a Commons motion compelling the government to hand over documents as part of ongoing efforts to clarify Mandelson’s appointment process and the extent of his interactions with Epstein. Mandelson himself was arrested earlier this month on suspicion of misconduct in public office and has since been bailed while the police investigation continues; he has denied any criminal wrongdoing.

Labour Party figures, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, had previously resisted ceding control over sensitive records, arguing for caution where national security and diplomatic relations are concerned. However, sustained pressure from MPs across party lines, including Labour backbenchers, led to the compromise that places the ISC in control of publication decisions to ensure greater transparency.

Officials said the first batch of documents could be published in early March, subject to the committee’s review, with further tranches to follow. The disclosures are expected to include emails, government correspondence and other records that could shed new light on what was known at the time about Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein and the vetting process that preceded his ambassadorial appointment.

The episode reflects mounting parliamentary insistence on transparency around government decision‑making in the wake of the wider Epstein files controversy, which has already prompted scrutiny of high‑profile figures and how official assessments of risk, association and judgement were made during Mandelson’s career.

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