Last month, Parliament demanded the government release the Mandelson files. What followed was five long weeks of waiting.

This week, the Prime Minister’s Chief Secretary, Darren Jones, finally stepped up to announce their release. So, what’s inside? A total of 147 pages: 10 pages of contents and introduction, 28 entirely blank pages, 30 pages of standard HR guidance. All filler, no killer?

In this episode, we explain the release of the Mandelson files: who decides what gets buried or revealed in a document dump like this, why Peter Mandelson thought he deserved a £500,000 payout, and whether the most explosive revelations are still to come?

Timecodes

00:00 Introduction

01:20 Mandelson scandal: Timeline of key events

03:45 What are the Jeffrey Epstein files?

05:11 How are the Mandelson files different?

05:46 The role of the Metropolitan Police

07:03 Parliament’s role in Mandelson file release

07:40 Government’s decision to release the files

10:02 How did these files get put together?

11:05 What’s in the 147 pages?

13:38 Why are there no WhatsApp messages in the files?

16:30 What advice did Starmer receive on Mandelson appointment?

20:35 The due diligence report explained

21:50 “Procuring a young girl”: Inaccurate language in the files

26:30 The government’s ‘fact finding’ mission

29:01 Why this should not be a political decision

35:15 Why did Mandelson demand a payout?

36:30 Mandelson: a cat with nine lives?

39:11 Kemi Badenoch’s reaction

41:45 Why this leaves Starmer so exposed

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This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios

Executive Producers: Olivia Foster and Carrie Rose

Producer: Sam Durham

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