Times Front Page 12th of March 2026

Files indicate the PM proceeded with appointing Lord Mandelson despite warnings from a senior aide and an outgoing ambassador about reputational risk, citing the peer’s past association with Jeffrey Epstein. A memo said Starmer’s personal links to Mandelson left him “more exposed.”

i Front Page 12th of March 2026

Files show Peter Mandelson accessed classified material before full clearance. The national security adviser called his appointment ‘weirdly rushed’. After dismissal he sought £550k but accepted £75k. The documents appear to contradict earlier No10 denials and raise questions over vetting.