Mandelson files to be published as ministers brace for ’embarrassing’ release of messages – live updates
Files will provide unprecedented government transparency – PM’s spokesmanpublished at 13:04 BST
Iain Watson
Political correspondent
A little earlier, Downing Street said the second tranche of the so-called Mandelson files will be released around 14:30 BST.
Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones will be speaking in the Commons an hour later.
The PM’s official spokesman says “every government department” was involved in meeting the terms of the humble address – the demand from Parliament to see documents related to Lord Mandelson’s appointment and time as the UK’s ambassador to the US.
This is “the largest ever response to a humble address”, the spokesman adds, which he says will provide “unprecedented” government transparency.
It has involved the discovery, assessment and analysis of “thousands of documents” and material of a party political nature will be included “in the interests of maximum transparency”.
He also says there will be a clear explanation of how documents were gathered and any redactions made.
Some documents held back at the request of the police will be made available at a later date but the timing is not in the government’s hands.
Asked about disappearing messages in WhatsApp chats, he said there is a review of corporate communications channels.
The spokesman also says, when asked if a response is expected from Keir Starmer, that the PM has no “public facing commitments” today.
