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Key events
Cabinet minister Darren Jones said a “big number” of documents will be released about Peter Mandelson’s appointment, Press Association reports, although it is only expected to be a fraction of the papers demanded by Parliament.
Last month, MPs ordered the government to release tens of thousands of documents relating to Lord Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador in 2024 after questions over how the peer was vetted and what was known about his links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Keir Starmer has insisted Mandelson “lied repeatedly” to No 10 about his relationship with Epstein, before and during his tenure as ambassador.
The documents to be released today are those which have been cleared for publication by the police investigating Mandelson.
Opening summary: Mandelson documents to be released after PMQs
Good morning and welcome to our coverage of UK politics with the news that the government is to release hundreds of documents relating to Peter Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to the US later today.
The documents will not be released until after Prime Minister’s Questions, meaning MPs will not be able to directly press Keir Starmer on their contents.
Chief secretary to the prime minister, Darren Jones, has defended the timing of the release.
Jones, who will make a Commons statement to set out the release of the documents, said: “We were always teed up to report in early March with the first tranche of documents, which is what we’re doing this afternoon.
“Because I run the Cabinet Office, at the centre of government, it was always my responsibility to give those updates to the House of Commons and statements always come after Prime Minister’s Questions.”
He told Times Radio: “There will be a second tranche of documents that will come at a later stage.”
In other developments:
I’m afraid due to staffing constraints there will be no comments on the blog today. Many apologies for this.
