This afternoon we have had the first tranche of documents released by the government relating to the process by which Peter Mandelson was chosen to be US ambassador. Whilst we have got a clearer picture on the big question – how much Starmer and the government knew about Mandelson’s association with Epstein – Labour are not out of the woods. Quotes from Jonathan Powell reveal that the vetting process was rushed and that – he thought – they didn’t dig deep enough. There is also the small matter of Peter Mandelson’s request for a payout of over half a million pounds. Oscar Edmondson, Tim Shipman and Isabel Hardman discuss.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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