Keir Starmer admits using disappearing WhatsApps amid fury at ‘missing’ Mandelson evidence… after awkward showdown with warring Cabinet

Keir Starmer has admitted using lost WhatsApps amid anger over ‘missing’ evidence in the Mandelson files.

The Prime Minister’s spokesman confirmed yesterday that the function had been activated following questions about a glaring gap in the massive data dump.

Sir Keir barely appeared in the 1,500-page document about his disastrous decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as US ambassador.

Downing Street insisted this afternoon that the prime minister was fully abiding by Parliament’s ‘modest pitch’ for all messages shared with New Labor’s architect to be released.

The spokesman said WhatsApps were allowed to disappear as long as they did not interfere with official record keeping, but Labor criticized the Conservative Party for using the function during Covid.

The situation came to light after Sir Keir called a bizarre meeting of his cabinet. amidst the fallout.

Newspapers gave this It’s a sharp look at the tensions at the heart of the Government, with Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden complaining at one point that his own MPs only want him to find people to pay taxes so he can hand out more benefits.

Grinning sheepishly as he arrived at the meeting this morning, Mr McFadden also candidly admitted that Sir Keir’s authority had been ‘destroyed’ by a rebellion that blocked welfare reforms last summer.

No 10 said the Prime Minister still had full confidence in Mr McFadden.

The papers offered a stark look at the tensions at the heart of the government, with Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden (pictured) complaining at one point that his own MPs wanted him to find people to pay taxes so he could hand out more benefits.

Ed Miliband (right) was at a Cabinet meeting today after being subjected to mockery in Mandelson messages published yesterday.

PM to convene ministers in Downing Street amid fallout from 1,500 pages of evidence over Mandelson’s (pictured) disastrous appointment as US ambassador

It emerged that Mandelson and ministers discussed in messages how things were not looking good for Sir Keir.

Gordon Brown is said to be “accepted” for the chancellorship and prefers Angela Rayner, while No10 staff have been labeled “sub-optimal”.

Wes Streeting (until recently health minister and now a leadership hopeful) is described by Mandelson as someone who sent a ‘crazy, long, hysterical message’ criticizing Israel.

Amid a row over the government’s recognition of Palestine as a state, the ambassador suggested Mr Streeting was experiencing an “early mid-life crisis” and lacked “maturity”.

The Labor massacre was foreshadowed by a handwritten note from Mandelson to then Foreign Secretary David Lammy at the end of 2024, saying Sir Keir would ‘never regret’ appointing him as US ambassador.

It’s clear the Prime Minister isn’t the only one who wants Mandelson for the job, as a group of fawning ministers rush to congratulate him personally.

Despite the size of the dump, some key documents are still being withheld at the request of Scotland Yard, which is investigating his former colleague over allegations of misconduct in public office.

And there was a series of redactions, carried out at a cost of £1 million. At least one previously reported message appears to be missing, saying Sir Keir would be a “fantastic” ambassador to Mandelson.

The only significant conversation Sir Keir was involved in was this: July 17, 2024, when Mandelson wrote: ‘I was at dinner with John Major this evening and if you don’t know him I think it’s a good idea to invite him to chat.

‘In addition to being a very good person, he is also interesting and thoughtful. Just a thought. ‘You don’t need to answer.’

Responding on 25 July 2024, Sir Keir said: ‘Thank you Peter. It’s great to continue the work of directing.

‘A million times better than the opposition, you know that!

‘I’ll reach out to John M, he’s a very thoughtful man. I hope to see you soon. Best wishes, Keir.’

Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper, who is on a visit to Beijing, gave openly lukewarm support to the Prime Minister when she spoke to reporters this morning.

Asked whether she recognized Mandelson’s description of Sir Keir’s approach as ‘move on, shake hands, move on, shake hands’, Ms Cooper said: ‘I would say Peter Mandelson should never have been appointed as ambassador to the US and look, of course there is now a fair amount of transparency about the messages that are being broadcast.’

Asked if she would describe Sir Keir as a strong leader, Ms Cooper said: ‘I follow international security issues in China and this follows the Prime Minister’s visit to China with President Xi earlier this year.’

Ms Cooper gave a similarly non-committal response when asked if the Prime Minister had her ‘full support’.

‘I’ve been working with the Prime Minister on exactly these international issues, and we’ve seen the work he’s done around the world to make us stronger at home, so of course I support the work he’s doing on that,’ he said.

Earlier, Cabinet Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds, along with Foreign Secretary Prime Minister Darren Jones, admitted his messages with Mandelson could not be saved.

In a handwritten note to then Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Mandelson said Sir Keir would ‘never regret’ appointing him to the post.

Like former No 10 chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, Mr Thomas-Symonds’ phone is believed to have been stolen last year.

Mr Thomas-Symonds was sent to the broadcast studios this morning to answer questions about the extraordinary statements in the newspapers.

HE He told Times Radio that Mr McFadden was a ‘diligent, determined minister’ and that his views on social security and welfare were ‘very well known and consistent’.

Mr Thomas-Symonds said: ‘Pat’s view was always that it wasn’t about benefits, that wasn’t where the debate should be. The discussion has to be about opportunity, and that’s actually what he’s working on.’