In the soft cast of Westminster corridors, where whispers often speak louder than shouts, a gentle but clear instruction has been issued to ministers: do not follow the recent example of Wes Streeting and publish private texts with Lord Peter Mandelson. This advice arrives at a moment when the interplay between transparency, legal process, and political sensitivity has become unusually tangled — and every disclosure carries a weight of consequence.
The prompt for this cautionary guidance was the Health Secretary’s own decision to make public a series of WhatsApp and email exchanges with Peter Mandelson, the former Labour grandee and ex-ambassador to the United States. Streeting’s gesture was intended, he said, to dispel rumours and show openness amid criticism of his links to Mandelson. Among the texts were moments in which Streeting admitted he felt “toast” at the next general election and expressed concern that the government lacked a growth strategy.
Yet the response from within government and law enforcement has been measured and firm. The Cabinet Office reportedly advised ministers on Monday evening that they should not disclose their own messages with Mandelson, particularly anything that could fall under a Parliamentary motion passed last week requiring the release of documents related to Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador. This move was designed to channel the handling of sensitive material through a managed and collective process rather than through piecemeal, individual releases.
Scotland Yard has also weighed in with a reminder of the legal stakes. Police are conducting a criminal investigation into allegations that Mandelson may have passed market-sensitive government information to Jeffrey Epstein years ago. Law enforcement stressed it is “vital due process is followed” so that any disclosure does not inadvertently undermine the investigation or any potential prosecution.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has echoed this emphasis on process and unity. Speaking publicly, he underscored the importance of a “managed process” for releasing relevant information and noted that the government should be acting together, particularly at a time when internal scrutiny and party tensions have been heightened.
Streeting has defended his decision to publish his own texts, saying he was driven by a desire to be transparent and dismiss suggestions of a close personal alliance with Mandelson. He told broadcasters that he had “nothing to hide” and reaffirmed his support for Starmer’s leadership, even as his actions prompted fresh debate about the boundaries of political disclosure.
The broader setting for these exchanges is a deepening inquiry, necessitated by both parliamentary orders and active police work. Downing Street, the Cabinet Office, and Scotland Yard are coordinating to determine what material can be shared publicly without jeopardizing legal proceedings, while Parliament’s intelligence and security watchdog prepares to review extensive files related to Mandelson’s tenure and appointment.
In gentle closing news, ministers across government have been warned not to publish their own communications with Lord Mandelson in the wake of Wes Streeting’s disclosures, amid caution from the Cabinet Office and warnings from police that due process must be protected during the ongoing investigation.
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