Undisclosed Texts Reveal Starmer Ally Comforted Mandelson After US Ambassador Dismissal

Previously undisclosed text messages have revealed private exchanges between senior government figures following Peter Mandelson’s dismissal as US ambassador, raising fresh questions about transparency around official communications.

Messages sent by Darren Jones, a close ally of Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the current chief secretary to the Treasury, reportedly included words of support for Mandelson after he lost his diplomatic role. The texts were not included in documents released under the parliamentary “humble address” process, which sought communications connected to Mandelson.

The messages are also said to contain requests for political advice relating to cabinet reshuffles, along with unflattering remarks about then-business secretary Jonathan Reynolds and comments concerning the influence of trade unions within government circles.

Jones was among several ministers who reportedly stated they had no messages to provide, citing deleted communications or phone changes as reasons for the absence of records.

Mandelson himself declined to provide his own messages as part of the disclosure process. His dismissal from the ambassadorial position last September followed scrutiny over his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a controversy that intensified political pressure around his role.