Newly uncovered private messages between senior minister Darren Jones and former Labour peer Peter Mandelson have emerged, revealing sharp criticism of Cabinet colleagues and discussions about career advancement. The exchanges were initially expected to be part of a 1,500-page document release regarding Mandelson's failed appointment as UK ambassador to the US, but they were notably absent from the published files.
According to reports in The Spectator, the messages show Jones—then Chief Secretary to the Treasury—praising Mandelson after he was sacked over his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. On the day Mandelson was dismissed, Jones wrote: "You've been doing such a great job, and you worked wonders with Trump. I'm so sorry about today."
In further exchanges, Mandelson criticized the government's growth strategy, pointing to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, then-deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, and then-business secretary Jonathan Reynolds as responsible. Jones replied, "It doesn't fill you with confidence." He also expressed frustration with Reynolds' special advisers, saying they took positions favoring union demands over Treasury policy during discussions about Port Talbot steelworks.
The messages also reveal Jones seeking Mandelson's counsel on promotion during a Cabinet reshuffle triggered by Rayner's resignation over a stamp duty tax row. Jones listed his preferred roles: first the Department for Business and Trade (then led by Reynolds), followed by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and the Ministry of Defence—though he considered the latter unlikely.
During a House of Commons debate on Wednesday, Jones acknowledged that some messages were missing because he had enabled WhatsApp's disappearing messages feature, which is permitted under ministerial guidance. He told MPs: "It is merely that I have access to no messages to disclose." He also apologized for potentially giving Mandelson undue deference, saying, "I think the answer to that question is yes, I did. For that I would like to apologise to the House, to the victims, to Lisa, and commit to then doing something about it."
The revelations have intensified scrutiny over government transparency and ministerial relationships with controversial figures.