Darren Jones, a close associate of the Prime Minister, extended his condolences to Peter Mandelson following Mandelson’s dismissal as the U.S. ambassador. These communications were not included in the recent humble address release.
Jones’s messages also contained inquiries regarding the government reshuffle, alongside negative remarks about the then Business Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, and the role of trade unions.
The Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister stated that they had no documents to disclose, citing prior deletion of messages or changes to devices as reasons.
Mandelson was removed from his position last September after details emerged concerning his close relationship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He opted not to submit his messages for review. The release of government communications related to Mandelson was initiated by a parliamentary motion calling for extensive transparency.
According to reports from the Spectator, Jones expressed to Mandelson, “You’ve been doing such a great job, and you worked wonders with Trump. I’m so sorry about today.”
In an earlier message, while serving as Chief Secretary to the Treasury under Rachel Reeves, Jones conveyed his lack of confidence in Reynolds and former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who were overseeing the government’s growth initiatives.
Additionally, he allegedly stated he had “lost faith” in Reynolds’s advisors, particularly after a discussion about Port Talbot where they reportedly favored union positions over Treasury perspectives.
Jones also sought “thoughts/advice” regarding a potential reshuffle and mentioned his aspirations for roles such as Business Secretary, Technology Secretary, or Energy Secretary. He remarked, “I also like MoD but think that’s unlikely,” and noted a preference for the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), indicating that while he appreciated Reynolds, there was a perception that DBT was not performing optimally.
It is understood that Jones replaced his phone after assuming his responsibilities at the Cabinet Office, where he took charge of cybersecurity.
In a pointed statement to MPs, he remarked that only Mandelson could release any communications between them, as Mandelson had declined to make his phone available for the inquiry.
Labour leader Keir Starmer had also previously sent a supportive message to Mandelson upon his appointment, which was not part of the humble address release. Starmer reportedly expressed confidence in Mandelson’s abilities in challenging circumstances and looked forward to working closely with him.
On Monday, Jones informed Parliament that the Cabinet Office acknowledged the existence of messages that could not be retrieved, stating, “Members should note some messages may not have been backed up where devices may have been changed, or disappearing messages were turned on, for reasonable and permitted reasons.” This included situations prior to Mandelson’s dismissal and the humble address.
The government released over 1,500 pages of documents on Monday, describing it as an unprecedented effort toward transparency. However, concerns have been raised by MPs regarding missing files, some of which remain withheld due to an ongoing police investigation into Mandelson for alleged misconduct.
Jones indicated that the documents would be made public once the police determined it would no longer impede their investigation.
Former Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, Morgan McSweeney, disclosed to a foreign affairs select committee that he had communicated with Mandelson on the day of the reshuffle, shortly before Mandelson’s removal. These messages have yet to be revealed.
McSweeney is also reported to have inquired about Mandelson’s connection with Epstein, yet this correspondence, along with Mandelson’s replies, was not included in the latest document release.
Missing from the documents was a nine-page summary from the United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) detailing concerns about Mandelson’s security clearance, which had been overridden by the then Permanent Undersecretary of the Foreign Office, Olly Robbins.
During a session in the Commons, Jones expressed his desire to apologize to MPs and the victims of Epstein, acknowledging that he felt he had benefitted from his relationship with Mandelson. He stated, “I want to take the opportunity to ask myself questions about my relationship with Peter Mandelson.”
Jones admitted to treating Mandelson differently due to his perceived influence and power within the Labour Party, saying, “Did I at best treat Peter Mandelson differently because I perceived him to have influence and power in the Labour party? I think the answer to that is yes, I did. Have I benefited from that relationship? I think in part the answer to that is yes. And for that I would like to apologize to the house, the victims … and commit to doing something about it.” He expressed a willingness to meet with Epstein’s victims if deemed appropriate.
