Darren Jones Messages With Lord Mandelson Surface, Criticising Cabinet Colleagues
Messages exchanged between senior government minister Darren Jones and Lord Mandelson have surfaced, shedding light on their private discussions, which included criticisms of Jones's cabinet colleagues. These communications were conspicuously absent from the 1,500 pages of Mandelson-related documents released earlier this week, despite a parliamentary vote to disclose files concerning the peer's controversial appointment as UK ambassador to the US. Lord Mandelson was removed from this diplomatic role following revelations about his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Portions of these undisclosed messages, published by The Spectator, show Jones praising Lord Mandelson after his dismissal and seeking advice on career advancement within the government. On the day Sir Keir Starmer terminated Lord Mandelson's ambassadorship, Jones wrote: “You've been doing such a great job, and you worked wonders with Trump. I'm so sorry about today.”
The exchanges also reveal Lord Mandelson’s critiques of the government’s growth strategies, which he informed Jones were under the purview of Chancellor Rachel Reeves, then-Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, and then-Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds. Jones, at the time serving as Reeves' deputy, responded, “It doesn't fill you with confidence.” In another discussion concerning Reynolds' special advisers and industrial policy, Jones stated, “I lost faith in his spads when, on a call about Port Talbot, they repeatedly took a different position to us in HMT [the Treasury] 'because that's what the unions want'.”
Jones also sought Lord Mandelson's counsel regarding potential promotions during last year's Cabinet reshuffle, which was precipitated by Rayner's resignation over a tax dispute. Jones conveyed his preferences for roles in the Department for Business and Trade, then in the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, or the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, also noting an unlikely interest in the Ministry of Defence. He suggested Reynolds' department was “not firing on full cylinders.” Reynolds was subsequently appointed Chief Whip, while Jones secured the position of Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations.
During a House of Commons debate, Jones confirmed he had enabled the disappearing messages feature on WhatsApp, which is permissible under current ministerial guidelines. He stated he had no messages to disclose, denying he had unilaterally decided which messages were in scope. Jones further apologised, including to Epstein victim Lisa Phillips, acknowledging he might have inadvertently afforded Lord Mandelson undue influence. He admitted to potentially benefiting from the relationship and committed to addressing this issue.
