Peter Mandelson, the Prince of Darkness, has long been known for his Machiavellian tactics. Now, thousands of released documents confirm that betrayal is his lifeblood. The files show him bad-mouthing colleagues and allies behind their backs, with no gratitude for the plum posting to Washington given by Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Corrosive Power on Display
The documents, released at 2pm, left MPs little time to scrutinize them before a Commons statement. But they revealed Mandelson's corrosive influence. No one emerges unscathed from an exchange with him. As with Lady Macbeth, the blood never washes off.
Betrayal of Wes Streeting
Wes Streeting, a man more used to stabbing others in the back, looked up to Mandelson as a mentor. How did Peter repay him? By calling him "pathetic" and accusing him of an "early mid-life crisis."
Pat McFadden Dismissed
Mandelson encouraged Pat McFadden to confide in him, only to dismiss him as an "insignificant lightweight" in an email to Patrick Vallance. McFadden had described the government as directionless and Keir Starmer as weak.
Starmer Not Spared
There is no gratitude for the prime minister. Mandelson trash-talks Keir Starmer, saying "Rubbish in, rubbish out." He promotes discontent and division, hating Labour as much as the Tories.
What Mandelson Gets in Return
Despite his disloyalty, Mandelson gets sycophancy. New pensions minister Torsten Bell gushes, "You're amazing," barely containing his fan-boy excitement. And there is deception: when asked to list associates, Mandelson declines to mention Jeffrey Epstein because he is dead.
Government Response
Chief Secretary Darren Jones called the release a triumph of transparency, overlooking that it was due to Labour backbenchers' queasiness. He noted redactions with the intelligence committee and that some ministers had deleted WhatsApps. Mandelson refused to hand over his phone; Morgan McSweeney's was stolen.
Opposition and Backbench Concerns
Alex Burghart suspected the late release was to avoid scrutiny. Labour backbenchers remain angry about Mandelson's links to Chinese and Russian oligarchs and tax-avoiding tech billionaires. Edward Leigh noted no messages from or to Keir Starmer, calling him "the Man Who Never Was."
