Overview

• MPs held a three-hour emergency debate on the Mandelson affair, which the prime minister did not attend, prompting opponents to accuse him of avoiding scrutiny.
• A letter from Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the FCDO was not asked to contribute to pre‑announcement due diligence and that national security vetting began only after the appointment was announced.
• Sir Keir Starmer acknowledged he knew of an investigation into emails between Lord Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein before defending him in the Commons, saying he had not seen their contents at the time.
• Senior MPs called for the Mandelson–Epstein material to be published in full and raised claims of double standards over Mandelson retaining the Labour whip, as many Labour backbenchers largely stayed away from the debate.
• Downing Street’s director of strategy Paul Ovenden resigned over historic lewd messages about Diane Abbott, and the row threatens to overshadow President Trump’s state visit.