The second batch of documents concerning Lord Mandelson's appointment as UK ambassador to the United States will not be published this month, the government has confirmed. Darren Jones, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, told the House of Commons that the papers would be released after Parliament's upcoming recess to allow MPs adequate time to review the material.
The update came after the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), which is reviewing the documents, reported that some files were being withheld or redacted on new grounds. Jones denied accusations of a cover-up from Conservative MPs, insisting the government was following a "normal approach" to redacting sensitive information.
Lord Mandelson was dismissed as ambassador last year following revelations about his relationship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In February, MPs voted to compel the government to publish all related papers through a parliamentary mechanism known as a humble address.
The government initially resisted, citing national security and diplomatic concerns, but later agreed to submit sensitive documents to the ISC for review. The first tranche of documents was released in March.
ISC chairman Lord Beamish stated last week that the committee had examined all 337 documents and reached decisions on government-requested redactions. He noted concerns about additional redaction grounds and documents being withheld. Deputy chairman Sir Jeremy Wright raised the issue via an urgent question in the Commons, arguing that if the government wishes to withhold information not related to national security or diplomacy, MPs should consent.
Jones responded by pointing to personal data collected during security vetting, saying raw details like bank balances would never be published, as doing so would undermine the vetting process. He emphasized that "targeted redactions" followed precedents set by previous administrations and that there was no public interest in releasing junior officials' contact details.
When asked about publication before the upcoming by-election, Jones committed to releasing the documents after the parliamentary recess. Parliament goes on recess at the end of the week and returns on 1 June. Lord Beamish reiterated that the government must explain why certain vetting-related information cannot be published, but stressed, "There's not a cover-up here, it's just being transparent."