Andy Burnham says ‘change can’t come soon enough’ after release of the Mandelson files: Live updates

Andy Burnham has responded to the latest release of the Mandelson files by admitting: ‘Change can’t come soon enough’.

The Mayor of Manchester, who has been tipped to succeed Starmer, took to X this evening after more than 1,500 documents were released relating to the disgraced peer’s appointment as US ambassador.

He wrote:

Today’s revelations will further damage people’s confidence in our political system.

When I left Westminster 10 years ago, I did so in the belief that it needed fundamental culture change. I remain of that view and believe that change can’t come soon enough.

People have lost faith in a Westminster system which puts private vested interests above the wider public interest and concentrates too much power in too few hands.

We urgently need a national politics which, rather than looking past places like Makerfield, properly works for them. We need a new political culture that is rooted in accountability and a genuine focus on the priorities of working people.

If we are serious about restoring trust in politics, we must rebuild a system where public service is at the heart of decision-making.

This afternoon’s release of the second tranche of documents relating to the appointment of Lord Peter Mandelson as US ambassador revealed further infighting and chaos in Sir Keir Starmer’s government.

Here are just a few of the most shocking revelations uncovered in the files.

• Mandelson was told it was only necessary to provide information on his current friendships with foreign nationals during the vetting process prior to his appointment. At that point, Jeffrey Epstein had been dead for five years.
• The ex-Labour peer ‘declined to comply’ to a request asking him to hand over WhatsApp messages and other personal information to the government.
• Mandelson’s faith in Starmer was dwindling, and the 72-year-old admitted things ‘don’t look good’ for the PM after a revolt last summer that blocked welfare reforms.
• The disgraced politician complained to Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden that Sir Keir and the Cabinet as a whole ‘lacked verve’.
• Wes Streeting, who quit the Labour government just weeks ago, is described by Mandelson as sending a ‘wild long hysterical message’ criticising Israel.
• Mandelson told Justice Secretary David Lammy the government would ‘never regret’ his appointment as US ambassador in a hand-written note.
• One reported message from Sir Keir claiming that Mandelson would be a ‘brilliant’ envoy appears to be missing from the files.
• Starmer has announced he will not speak about the files today.

John McDonnell, Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington, has called on Patrick McFadden to resign in the wake of the second tranche of Mandelson files.

The politician, who was shadow chancellor under Jeremy Corbyn, told Times Radio: ‘It looks as though Pat McFadden was Peter Mandelson’s person in cabinet.

‘He was almost the representative of Peter Mandelson within government itself, feeding information to him, exchanging derogatory remarks about Keir himself and Keir’s style of government.

‘If I was Keir, I’d be asking Pat to consider his position. I would expect Pat himself to think himself about whether he should continue in his role because he’s clearly not been loyal, in fact quite disloyal, to the very person who’s appointed him.’

It comes after WhatsApp messages between McFadden and Mandelson showed the Secretary for Work and Pensions criticising Starmer and the Labour government.

Sir Keir Starmer has this evening been pictured driving past Lord Peter Mandelson home – after Downing Street confirmed the PM would not comment on the release of more than 1,500 files relating to the disgraced peer.

The Labour leader was snapped in the back of an Audi outside Mandelson’s home near Regent’s Park, north London.

The sighting comes hours after WhatsApp messages released in the Mandelson files displayed the former ambassador’s dwindling support for Sir Keir.

Mandelson admitted things ‘don’t look good’ for the PM last summer, while also claiming that Starmer and his Cabinet ‘lack verve’.

The PM had kept a noticeably low profile in the wake of the revelations – but has now been seen for the first time as pressure mounts over his future.

Secretary for Work and Pensions Patrick McFadden appears to have addressed his criticism of Labour in the Mandelson files.

Documents revealed that Mr McFadden sent a message to Mandelson in which he claimed that Labour MPs only ask ‘who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others’.

The minister also admitted that Sir Keir Starmer’s authority had been ‘destroyed’ by a revolt last summer that blocked welfare reforms.

‘Every meeting I have is “who we can tax in order to pay benefits to others”,’ he told Mandelson. ‘They’re asking the wrong questions’.

In a post on X this evening, however, McFadden wrote: ‘As I often say in interviews and in the department, “we have to change the question the system asks from “what benefits are you entitled to” to “how do we help you change your life”.’

A second Labour figure has been unable to share their messages with Lord Mandelson to parliament due to their phone being stolen.

Nick Thomas-Symonds, a minister in the Cabinet Office, says his phone was stolen on October 15, 2025.

It comes after Morgan McSweeney, who played a pivotal role in Mandelson’s appointment, was unable to share his correspondence with the disgraced peer after his device was snatched in London.

It is understood that Mr Thomas-Symonds reported the crime to police within hours, and could only recall sharing ‘general pleasantries’ with Mandelson.

The minister was however also lobbied by the ex-ambassador during his failed bid to become chancellor of the University of Oxford.

An ally of Mr Thomas-Symonds’ said: ‘Nick complied fully with the humble address, sharing all details of the messages he could recall, which were all before Mandelson taking up post.

‘It is right that transparency is the only remedy.’

Labour MP for Kensington and Bayswater Joe Powell has admitted that the second tranche of documents relating Lord Mandelson come as an embarrassment for the government.

Mr Powell nevertheless also noted that the files provide the transparency that many were calling for.

He continued: ‘I don’t think this system of using WhatsApp for all these conversations is particularly useful for transparency and accountability.’

Lord Mandelson advised Labour ministers to behave in a more ‘Trumpian risk-taking and daredevil’ way following the party’s loss to Reform in the Runcorn by-election.

In a message sent to Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Patrick McFadden, he also claimed problems ‘stem from the top and Keir lacks verve’.

The 72-year-old wrote:

It does start right from the top, I am afraid, but you must all contribute more to it by breaking out of the Whitehall system and mould and appearing less like business as usual conventional ministers and, dare I say it, behaving in a more Trumpian risk taking and dare devil way.

Today’s document dump revealed details of a secret meeting between Wes Streeting, Lord Mandelson and key figures in Rupert Murdoch’s media empire.

The ex-health secretary and US ambassador attended a dinner along with Lachlan Murdoch, the mogul’s son, and a number of other executives before 2024’s general election.

Mandelson told Streeting in a text message afterwards that ‘Lachlan really enjoyed the dinner’ and ‘they all thought everyone in great form’.

Streeting replied: ‘The highlight of the evening was you pulling out The Times app and ribbing Tony (Gallagher, editor of The Times).’

The sacked peer then joked: ‘These people have to be kept on their toes,’ to which Streeting gushed: ‘It was masterfully done.’

Questions have since been raised about why Streeting failed to include the exchange in the WhatsApp messages he published back in February.

Allies of the Labour figure have however explained this by noting that Streeting published communications starting from six months before Mandelson started his role as ambassador in February 2025.

Murdoch owns The Times and The Sun newspapers in Britain, as well as a host of titles in the US and Australia.

A host of ministers sent congratulations to Lord Mandelson after his appointment as US ambassador just before Christmas 2024 – including then environment secretary Steve Reed.

Mr Reed, who is now Secretary of State for Housing, wrote: ‘Congratulations Peter – wonderful news if you’re to be the US ambassador. Excellent appointment.’

Mandelson would be sacked just nine months later – with Reed subsequently blasting the peer for ‘betraying the country’ in failing to disclose his links to Epstein.

‘I felt like I’d been punched in the stomach when I found out what Mandelson had been up to,’ he told Sky News.

David Lammy suggested former Tory councillor George Osborne for the role of US ambassador prior to Lord Mandelson’s appointment, the Justice Secretary has claimed.

Lammy penned a letter in response to questions from Emily Thornberry this evening in which he apologised for the role he played in the Mandelson saga – but highlighted the fact that he raised concerns about the 72-year-old.

Mandelson was sensationally sacked from his post in September 2025 over links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Lammy said: ‘I suggested George Osbourne should be considered on any shortlist given his close links with senior Republican figures.’

The Labour politician also suggested David Miliband, Dame Valerie Amos and Dame Cathy Ashton as possible candidates for the role.

It comes after a note written by Mandelson to Lammy was revealed, in which the 72-year-old ironically claimed the government would ‘never regret’ trusting him as ambassador.