I have nothing to fear from Mandelson private texts release, Labour leadership hopeful Wes Streeting says
Wes Streeting has told friends his leadership ambitions will not end when his private messages with Peter Mandelson are revealed.
Political rivals have suggested the Health Secretary could be finished if inappropriate messages shared with his disgraced Labor counterpart are published as part of a government data dump.
But an ally last night said only ‘a handful of messages’ were involved and none contained anything ‘particularly embarrassing’.
A parliamentary vote this week forced the Government to release all documents and messages relating to Keir Starmer’s disastrous decision to appoint Mandelson as US ambassador despite his links to Jeffrey Epstein.
The sweeping order is expected to include the release of tens of thousands of documents, including all messages exchanged between Mandelson and ministers and special advisers during his time in the US.
In the coming days, ministers will be asked to provide details of their conversations with Mandelson during his ambassadorship, including emails, texts, voice notes and WhatsApps.
Mr Streeting, who is among the favorites to replace Sir Keir if the Prime Minister is forced to resign, was a political ally of Mandelson for years.
His rivals believe the publication of his messages with Mandelson could destroy his hopes of becoming Prime Minister. A Labor source said: ‘Wes has been close to Mandelson for years; ‘He can’t escape it, which means he can’t escape it’ [for leader] in the current climate.
Health Minister Wes Streeting has told friends his leadership ambitions will not end when his private messages with Peter Mandelson are revealed.
Mr Streeting, who is among the favorites to replace Sir Keir if the Prime Minister is forced to resign, has been a political ally of Mr Mandelson (pictured) for years.
‘There is a strong possibility that these messages show him conspiring with Mandelson and bad-mouthing the Prime Minister and other colleagues. If that’s the case, then he’s finished.”
But an ally of Mr Streeting denied the claim. Moderation of his messages is said to focus mostly on health policy and the United States. ‘People who are positioning themselves to be candidates for leadership are trying to drag Wes into this, but it’s not going to work,’ the ally said.
The Daily Mail yesterday revealed that Mr Streeting had deleted online photos of himself with Mandelson.
But allies insist they are not as close as some claim.
This week’s Commons decision, planned by Kemi Badenoch, has triggered panic in Whitehall. Authorities believe more than 100,000 files may be released. The Cabinet Office is collecting documents but the Met Police want ‘certain documents’ to be withheld in case they undermine the investigation into claims Mandelson gave market-sensitive government information to Epstein.
Sir Keir had wanted the release of the document to be handled by the government, but following the Labor rebellion led by Angela Rayner, Parliament’s intelligence and security committee (ISC) will decide what is released.
In a letter to the ISC last night, Sir Keir promised to work with MPs to ensure the ‘urgent and transparent’ publication of documents relating to Mandelson’s appointment.
Yesterday Neil Duncan-Jordan became the latest Labor MP to call for Sir Keir to leave. He said the party needed ‘renewal’, adding: ‘That means changing who is in charge.’
A colleague said of Sir Keir: ‘He’s done. He won’t come back from this.’
