Opposition Day Debate (17th Allotted Day) Lord Mandelson

Following the 2 February 2026 statement from the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Darren Jones MP, which shed new light on the relationship between Lord Mandelson and the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, the House of Commons debated an Opposition Motion on 4 February 2026.

The motion called on the Government to release documents covering the appointment of Mandelson as Ambassador to Washington in 2025. An agreement was reached on a Government amendment that all documents would be given to Parliament except those believed to impact on national security and the UK’s international relations. These would first be assessed by Parliament’s independent Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) which would determine whether they could be published.

“That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, that he will be graciously pleased to give directions to require the Government to lay before this House all papers relating to Lord Mandelson’s appointment as His Majesty’s Ambassador to the United States of America, including but not confined to the Cabinet Office due diligence which was passed to Number 10, the Conflict of Interest Form Lord Mandelson provided to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), material the FCDO and the Cabinet Office provided to UK Security Vetting about Lord Mandelson’s interests in relation to Global Counsel, including his work in relation to Russia and China, and his links to Jeffrey Epstein, papers for, and minutes of, meetings relating to the decision to appoint Lord Mandelson, electronic communications between the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff and Lord Mandelson, and between ministers and Lord Mandelson, in the six months prior to his appointment, minutes of meetings between Lord Mandelson and ministers in the six months prior to his appointment, all information on Lord Mandelson provided to the Prime Minister prior to his assurance to this House on 10 September 2025 that ‘full due process was followed during this appointment’, electronic communications and minutes of all meetings between Lord Mandelson and ministers, Government officials and special advisers during his time as Ambassador, and the details of any payments made to Lord Mandelson on his departure as Ambassador and from the Civil Service except papers prejudicial to UK national security or international relations which shall instead be referred to the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament.”

More widely, I know the Prime Minister has called on all political parties to work with the Government to legislate for the removal of peers who bring the Lords into disrepute, like Mandelson. I hope other parties will respond positively to this proposal, which could help ensure better accountability for members of the House of Lords.