On the 24th April after reports that there were “warm messages” between Mandelson and Chief Secretary to the PM Darren Jones, the minister denied it on broadcast. Speaking to Laura Kuenssberg he said:
“No, I was asked what was going on in Downing Street… This was the week that I had just arrived as Chief Secretary. I don’t think I even had an office at the time. And I replied along the lines of I don’t know what’s happening. I’m not in the room. I’m sorry it all seems so difficult. And that was the exchange that I think has been referred to in piece… I wouldn’t say it was warm and I didn’t know what was taking place.”
That message was: “You’ve been doing such a great job, and you worked wonders with Trump. I’m so sorry about today.” What counts as ‘warm’ in the Jones household?
Government sources say that Mandelson has been incensed by Jones’ leadership briefings and statements on the WhatsApps and decided to blow him up this week. In case co-conspirators thought the saga was close to over…
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby said messages from Darren Jones to Peter Mandelson praising the ambassador on the day he was sacked for his relationship with Epstein made her feel “not great.” The messages between the pair – missing from the Mandelson Files but sourced elsewhere – were published by the Spectator’s Tim Shipman:
Rigby said on Sky News: “you ask me how I feel about that. Not great is the is the honest answer. But look, I think Darren has been clear, including in the chamber how he feels about this entire episode, how he feels in particular about Jeffrey Epstein’s uh victims. And I think he’s asked himself, he’s been clear about this, some quite serious questions in the way that you would, want he and and all of us, frankly, to to ask about, about what’s happened.” Not his thoughts in private though were they…
Co-conspirators can listen here to Pensions minister Torsten Bell’s bizarre short speech to attendees of the Social Market Foundation think tank’s drinks do in London last night, just after the second tranche of Mandelson Files came out. Also in attendance, local government minister Alison McGovern…
There was a bizarre segment in which Bell lectured the audience on how “why did you get into politics” is a useless question and one “only your mum should care about.” He went on to say: “The question they should ask you is: what have you read recently?” Bell self-effacingly patted himself on the back for “thinking and reading into sad, dark middle age”…
He then forced the audience to clap: “Everyone’s got back in the essay writing business, can we all just give that a round of applause.” Oh boy…
Bell ended with some jokes to lukewarm laughter:
“Writing will also help you answer the big questions and that is important across parties…
If you’re in Reform you’re trying to the big question: how do you spend £5 million?
If you’re in the Greens… why does Zack keep lying?
And if you’re in the Labour Party? How do you turn on disappearing messages?”
Read Torsten’s candid and personal messages with Peter Mandelson below:
Continue reading “LISTEN: Minister Torsten Bell Jokes About the Mandelson Files at Private Event”
Peter Mandelson → Pat McFadden (then Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster) WhatsApp, 16–17 August 2025
Mandelson: I am going mad with the things Morgan is sending me. I am trying to be constructive but I just don’t know what to say anymore.
McFadden: He hasn’t sent me anything. Speak tomorrow?
Mandelson: It’s about a whole new (additional) political strategy team in No10 and the equivalent of the Rand corporation outside it to reverse national decline. I am flying back from Chicago to DC in the morning.
Mandelson: Can you connect with Morgan today and see how he is? I am on delayed flight from Chicago. Have the whole team arriving tomorrow including Morgan.
McFadden: Yes of course. I see Keir will now be at WH meeting with Z.
Mandelson: Yes. Morgan is coming with him. The media prep is interesting. Completely reductionist for Keir. Want to avoid any encounter with journos that might involve him answering a question. No sense of opportunity for personal projection. Just avoid all risk. Always the same.
Mandelson: They/he have no confidence
McFadden: I spoke to him. It’s a bit of a whirlwind. This external strategy unit idea has come from a lack of belief that good people will come in to number 10 and it’s hard to get the bad ones to leave.
McFadden: I’m going to see him when he comes back.
Mandelson: I told him he needs an instrument/entity to recruit top people but I fear he is using excuse to keep people because he knows Keir won’t fire them.
Desperate McSweeney tried to hire his own people to externally run No10 because the personnel were bad and Starmer would not fire them…
Peter Mandelson → Pat McFadden (then Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster) WhatsApp, 24 May 2025
Mandelson: I have spoken to Morgan a lot this week and last night I was direct with him – Keir is not leading from the front and Morgan is not organising the centre as it needs to be. Gordon has it in for Keir (and Rachel) big time. He doesn’t seriously believe that Angela is an alternative but she is an instrument of destabilization. I doubt he thinks Ed is fit for purpose but he is doing to Keir what he has always done to successive Scottish leaders.
McFadden: I don’t know what Keir thinks of all this. He has not spoken to me about any of it.
Mandelson: Does he even realise? The PLP I gather is in mutinous state
McFadden: Yes. Every meeting I have is “who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others”. They’re asking the wrong questions
In case you still weren’t convinced…
Peter Mandelson to Vidhya Alakeson WhatsApp, 1–4 July 2025
Mandelson: Hi hope you are well and are coping with everything. I am flying back to Washington later today but if you have a moment to talk on phone that would be good. Let me Know.
[call]
Mandelson: I do have an idea for economic adviser. Older, sage, nice, discreet. [REDACTED – THIRD PARTY] … He was director of university’s think tank. Now a fellow at [REDACTED – THIRD PARTY]. He is friend and I will have a chat to get his take on things without saying why. Ok?
Alakeson: Sure thank you. Minouche Shafik was suggested earlier. Thoughts?
Mandelson: [REDACTED – THIRD PARTY]
Alakeson: Wise thanks.
Mandelson: You also want to avoid this being a public thing. Needs to be quieter. Otherwise becomes an expression of lack of confidence in the Treasury.
Alakeson: [REDACTED – THIRD PARTY]? Then I will stop
Mandelson: I can’t place him. Where is he?
Alakeson: [REDACTED – THIRD PARTY] … Experience: [REDACTED] (– linkedin.com)
Mandelson: Good god no. This is the sort of person Rachel has at the Treasury now. Keir needs someone with greater authority and detachment with real lived experience.
Mandelson: You want someone with the weight and authority to be respected but not the profile to excite jealousy or resentment.
Alakeson: Yes that is right. Those ppl are proving hard to find in this space.
Mandelson: I strongly suggest Keir meets [REDACTED – THIRD PARTY]. He is sage and experienced as well as having an academic discipline.
Alakeson: Would we couple him with a more junior Spad to do some of the more political stuff?
Mandelson: Yes a pointman/woman good idea. Someone would be a good ‘hinge’ with the official system.
Mandelson: I don’t know [REDACTED – THIRD PARTY] but a major hedge fund sympathiser tell me he used to be UBS main U.K. economist and now at [REDACTED – THIRD PARTY] which is independent research boutique just focussed on U.K. I am told he is not a political animal but would give great advice and be robust. He also has best model of U.K. economy and would be ideal (quietly) second guessing OBR. He is person my friend relies on for U.K. analysis. Whoever advises needs to be credible with capital markets. Another name touted is [REDACTED – THIRD PARTY] but I would not commend.
Alakeson: We arguably might need more than I and some who can steady the nerves of the capital markets and interpret its movements credibly for Keir would be incredibly helpful.
Alakeson: Everyone keeps recommending [REDACTED – THIRD PARTY] to me but I am not convinced, if I am honest. Too much of a front person as well I think. We need behind the scenes ppl.
Mandelson: [REDACTED – THIRD PARTY] I don’t think you want show, you want quiet depth and judgement, not a networker. Someone who Kier can talk to and trust and not someone who will ‘campaign’ inside the government.
Mandelson: Yes I think you can use more than one. But careful. You don’t want to appear to be creating shadow Treasury. Everyone will immediately assume tension and this will worry markets.
Shafik got the job…
Former leader of the SNP in Westminster Ian Blackford told Times Radio why he believes Nicola Sturgeon’s claim that she spent no time in the kitchen and therefore didn’t see any of her husband’s purchases:
“She doesn’t have a passion for cooking.”