Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing mounting anger from MPs across the House of Commons over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador, as the government agreed to release sensitive documents to Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC). The move follows intense backbench pressure, including from senior Labour MPs Angela Rayner and Dame Meg Hillier, after the government initially sought to retain the power to block publication of papers deemed prejudicial to national security or international relations.
Cabinet Office minister Chris Ward confirmed that documents relating to Mandelson's appointment will be referred to the ISC, which will decide on their release. Ward stated that there would be no political involvement from ministers or Number 10 in the process, adding that the cabinet secretary would work with independent lawyers to handle the material. However, he did not specify when the documents would be released, saying only that it would be 'as soon as possible'.
The Metropolitan Police has asked Number 10 not to release 'certain documents' about Mandelson, arguing it could 'undermine' its investigation. But Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle dismissed the Met's request, stating that the police have 'no jurisdiction' over the House of Commons. During Prime Minister's Questions, Starmer confirmed that he knew, when appointing Mandelson in December 2024, that the former cabinet minister had remained friends with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after his conviction.
Campaigners are now demanding full transparency over Mandelson's ties to the US tech company Palantir, which has UK government contracts worth over £500 million. Mandelson co-founded and part-owns Global Counsel, a lobbying firm that also works for Palantir. The cabinet secretary, Sir Chris Wormald, is being urged to release information about Mandelson's role when the British embassy arranged for Starmer to visit Palantir's showroom in Washington DC in February 2025, shortly after Mandelson became ambassador. During the visit, Mandelson and Starmer met Palantir's CEO Alex Karp and were shown the company's military technology.
Palantir, a $300 billion startup, provides military technology to the Israel Defense Forces and AI-powered deportation targeting for Donald Trump's ICE units. In January 2025, the Ministry of Defence signed a £241 million three-year contract with Palantir to 'boost military AI and innovation'. The controversy comes as Starmer faces a make-or-break Commons vote on the issue, with MPs from all sides expressing concern over the lack of transparency surrounding Mandelson's appointment and his business interests.
