The New Mandelson Files Continue Labour’s Long Nightmare
The recent release of WhatsApp messages related to Keir Starmer's appointment of Lord Mandelson has intensified scrutiny on Labour's leadership. While the messages reveal criticisms of Starmer's leadership, they do not clearly benefit rival Andy Burnham's campaign for the upcoming by-election. The situation highlights ongoing tensions within the Labour Party as it navigates internal challenges and external pressures.
- ▪A tranche of 1,500 messages and emails has been published regarding Starmer's appointment and subsequent sacking of Mandelson.
- ▪The messages reveal critical views of Starmer's leadership from his closest aides, describing him as 'lacking in verve' and 'beleaguered.'
- ▪The release of these communications comes at a challenging time for Labour, with leadership rivals emerging and a crucial by-election approaching.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
UK Special Coverage The New Mandelson Files Continue Labour’s Long Nightmare While the freshly disclosed WhatsApp messages damage Starmer, they do not unambiguously help Burnham. UK Special Coverage (Photo by Gareth Fuller - WPA Pool/Getty Images) Iain Macwhirter Jun 3, 2026 12:03 AM Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... The curse of WhatsApp strikes again. The text messaging service habitually used by many UK politicians to chat to their colleagues was always a liability. They often seemed to believe they were talking in a secure space, but of course on social media nothing is really secure. Now a tranche of some 1,500 text messages and emails has been published by the UK government relating to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s appointment of Lord Mandelson as U.S.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The American Conservative.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from The American Conservative
