Burnham says ‘change can’t come soon enough’ following files release

David Lammy suggested former Tory councillor George Osborne for the role of US ambassador prior to Lord Mandelson’s appointment, the Justice Secretary has claimed.

Lammy penned a letter in response to questions from Emily Thornberry this evening in which he apologised for the role he played in the Mandelson saga – but highlighted the fact that he raised concerns about the 72-year-old.

Mandelson was sensationally sacked from his post in September 2025 over links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Lammy said: ‘I suggested George Osbourne should be considered on any shortlist given his close links with senior Republican figures.’

The Labour politician also suggested David Miliband, Dame Valerie Amos and Dame Cathy Ashton as possible candidates for the role.

It comes after a note written by Mandelson to Lammy was revealed, in which the 72-year-old ironically claimed the government would ‘never regret’ trusting him as ambassador.

Andy Burnham has responded to the latest release of the Mandelson files by admitting: ‘Change can’t come soon enough’.

The Mayor of Manchester, who has been tipped to succeed Starmer, took to X this evening after more than 1,500 documents were released relating to the disgraced peer’s appointment as US ambassador.

He wrote:

Today’s revelations will further damage people’s confidence in our political system.

When I left Westminster 10 years ago, I did so in the belief that it need fundamental culture change. I remain of that view and believe that change can’t come soon enough.

People have lost faith in a Westminster system which puts private vested interests above the wider public interest and concentrates too much power in too few hands.

We urgently need a national politics which, rather than looking past places like Makerfield, properly works for them. We need a new political culture that is rooted in accountability and a genuine focus on the priorities of working people.

If we are serious about restoring trust in politics we must rebuild a system where public service is at the heart of decisionb-making.

This afternoon’s release of the second tranche of documents relating to the appointment of Lord Peter Mandelson as US ambassador revealed further infighting and chaos in Sir Keir Starmer’s government.

Here are just a few of the most shocking revelations uncovered in the files.

• Mandelson was told it was only necessary to provide information on his current friendships with foreign nationals during the vetting process prior to his appointment. At that point, Jeffrey Epstein had been dead for five years.
• The ex-Labour peer ‘declined to comply’ to a request asking him to hand over WhatsApp messages and other personal information to the government.
• Mandelson’s faith in Starmer was dwindling, and the 72-year-old admitted things ‘don’t look good’ for the PM after a revolt last summer that blocked welfare reforms.
• The disgraced politician complained to Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden that Sir Keir and the Cabinet as a whole ‘lacked nerve’.
• Wes Streeting, who quit the Labour government just weeks ago, is described by Mandelson as sending a ‘wild long hysterical message’ criticising Israel.
• Mandelson told Justice Secretary David Lammy the government would ‘never regret’ his appointment as US ambassador in a hand-written note.
• One reported message from Sir Keir claiming that Mandelson would be a ‘brilliant’ envoy appears to be missing from the files.
• Starmer has announced he will not speak about the files today.

Lord Mandelson ironically claimed that Labour would ‘never regret’ his appointment as the country’s US ambassador in a hand-written note sent to David Lammy.

The letter, dated November 18, 2024, was sent to the Justice Secretary a little more than a month before Mandelson’s appointment was confirmed.

In the note, sent while Lammy was serving as Foreign Secretary, Mandelson wrote: ‘If the government were to appoint me, I would make sure you never regret it’.

The 72-year-old was fired from his role just nine months later.

Lord Mandelson repeatedly sought support from Labour Party members in an unsuccessful attempt to become chancellor of the University of Oxford, according to documents.

Between August 3 and October 28, 2024, the 72-year-old urged a host of members, including Oxford alumni Emma Reynolds, to contribute to Labour’s first ‘real shot’ at having a chancellor at the prestigious university.

Mandelson’s bid was ultimately a failure as he finished fourth of 38 candidates in 2024.

The disgraced former ambassador studied philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford before entering into politics.

During his time as Labour’s ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson claimed that Sir Keir Starmer’s Downing Street operation was ‘beleaguered and bereft’, newly-released messages have revealed.

The shamed politician also speculated that the Prime Minister may not survive a welfare rebellion in separate messages.

Starmer has kept a particularly low profile today after the second tranche of files relating to Mandelson’s appointment were released.

The PM also confirmed he will not be commenting publicly on the matter this evening.

Plaid Cymru’s Liz Saville-Roberts claimed ‘it remains obvious that Epstein victims simply weren’t on the radar of the boys’ club in control at No 10′.

In response, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones pointed out that No 10 isn’t just run by men – but did agree it is important there is a ‘diversity of view’ when it comes to decision making within the government.

The Mandelson files have cost the Cabinet Office more than £1million, Darren Jones told the House of Commons this afternoon.

‘The documents we are publishing today are one of the largest government publications ever laid before this House,’ he said.

‘This disclosure process has been wide ranging, costing the Cabinet Office alone over £1million.’

The newly released files have revealed how Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden once complained that his own MPs just want him to find people to tax so they can hand out more benefits.

He also candidly admitted that Keir Starmer’s authority was ‘destroyed’ by a revolt last summer that blocked welfare reforms.

Alex Burghart, Conservative shadow secretary for Northern Ireland, has claimed many documents are missing in the release and that some ministers did not hand over their WhatsApp messages.

He added that Sir Keir Starmer is ‘almost non-existent’ in the 1,000-page files.

‘It is as though somehow he appointed Peter Mandelson as ambassador without any trace of that decision at all,’ he said.

It comes after a spokesperson for the government said the release will provide ‘unprecedented government transparency’.

Good evening.

The ‘Mandelson Files’ – a tranche of documents and messages related to Labour’s disastrous decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador – have been published today following a demand from MPs.

Their contents have exposed a deep rift running through the heart of the Labour Government amidst the tsunami of criticism that came after it was revealed that Mandelson’s friendship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein had continued for longer than he had previously disclosed.

We’ll be picking through the files’ most explosive revelations tonight, but you can read our primer on the files here, by UK Political Editor James Tapsfield: