Cabinet Office Withholds Mandelson Vetting Summary on Police Advice to Protect Criminal Inquiry

The Cabinet Office will not release a key summary document on the security vetting of Lord Mandelson after the Metropolitan Police warned that publication could threaten its criminal investigation. The document was compiled before Lord Mandelson was appointed UK ambassador to the US. It emerged earlier this year that he failed crucial security vetting but received the post anyway.

Concerns had been raised about his links to figures in China, Russia and Israel. Lord Mandelson was sacked in September 2025 after reports that he maintained his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein following Epstein’s conviction for child sexual offences.

Scotland Yard opened a criminal investigation earlier in 2026 into allegations that Lord Mandelson shared sensitive information with Epstein while serving as business secretary in 2009.

Lord Mandelson was arrested in February 2026 and released under investigation. He has denied any wrongdoing. The Metropolitan Police said failures to declare possible conflicts of interest during vetting could constitute misconduct in public office.

The Times reported plans to withhold the vetting summary. Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee had accused the government of withholding documents, including the vetting file. MPs had demanded the material through a parliamentary motion known as a humble address.

It was agreed that sensitive material that could compromise international relations or national security would be passed to the ISC. The committee later said redactions were being applied far too broadly. Its chairman, Lord Beamish, said ministers should seek Parliament’s permission to exclude information on non-security grounds.