Biggest revelations from Mandelson files –  Trump ‘red box’ to ‘no regrets’ note

Journalists are pouring through the Mandelson files (Picture: AP)

Peter Mandelson said the government would ‘never regret’ appointing him and denied he had ‘close contacts’ with foreign nationals, the newly released Mandelson files show.

The government has released more than a thousands documents relating to the scandal-hit appointment of Lord Mandelson as US Ambassador.

The files reveal that the ‘Prince of Darkness’ refused to give his WhatsApp messages and other information from his personal phone as part of the publication process.

The Labour big beast also schmoozed the then Foreign Secretary David Lammy to persuade him to give him the Washington job.

Mandelson tried to schmooze David Lammy into appoint him (Picture: Cabinet Office/PA Wire)

He told Lammy: ‘I just wanted you to know that if you were minded to appoint me I would make sure you never regret it’.

Lord Mandelson continued that it would be a ‘huge honour’ to serve, adding: ‘If you are up for it, so am I’.

It emerged in April that UK Security Vetting (UKSV) recommended against granting Lord Mandelson security clearance.

The Prime Minister was unaware when top Foreign Office official Sir Olly Robbins overruled that advice.

The Guardian has reported that his ties with senior figures in China, Russia and Israel were among the concerns raised by the vetting agency. 

The newly released files show that Lord Mandelson admitted he had a ‘large number of personal acquaintances with foreign nationals’ during the security vetting process, but denied any of them were ‘close contacts’.

When the future US Ambassador was asked by a case assistant to fill in a foreign contacts form, he wrote: ‘. I have a large number of personal
acquaintances with foreign nationals but I would not describe these as current friendships or personal business connections.’

The case worker continued to ask Mandelson to fill in the form, writing: ‘It is prudent that we obtain sufficient information about overseas contacts that we can be confident that any potential security risks are identified.’

Another eye-catching revelation in the files is suggestions form officals that the UK gift Donald Trump a mocked-up ministerial ‘red box’ with ‘President of the United States’ inscribed upon it.

Lord Mandelson has repeatedly let it be known that he believes he has not acted criminally, did not act for personal gain and is co-operating with the police.

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