No 10 will have no say on which Mandelson papers are released

The Metropolitan Police has told the government not to release certain documents that could undermine its investigation.

Earlier this month, MPs approved a motion compelling the government to hand over materials relating to Lord Mandelson’s appointment.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer told MPs he wanted to release the documents but said he would not publish anything that could damage national security or diplomatic relations.

The government was forced to hand over control of the process to the cross-party ISC following concern by MPs that Downing Street could have too much say in the process.

On Thursday, the ISC said it had received a written guarantee that neither the prime minister nor the government would have the final say on what is considered too sensitive to disclose.

Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, told MPs on Monday that the first tranche of Lord Mandelson documents would be published in early March.

Jones said police had already advised ministers that certain documents, including exchanges between Lord Mandelson and No 10, should not be published in the first tranche.

The BBC understands that one specific exchange police have blocked from being released next month includes three questions Sir Keir put to Lord Mandelson about his friendship with Epstein prior to his appointment as US ambassador.

The questions were related to his continued contact with Epstein after his first conviction for soliciting prostitution with a minor, reports that he had stayed at Epstein’s home while the financier was in prison, and his association with a charity founded by Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

Sir Keir has claimed the documents will show Lord Mandelson lied to him about the extent of his friendship with Epstein, which continued after he had been convicted in 2008.

The BBC understands Lord Mandelson’s view is that he answered questions about his relationship with Epstein in the vetting process accurately.

Meanwhile, the European Commission has asked the EU’s anti-fraud agency to investigate Lord Mandelson following the release of documents in the US relating to Epstein.

The request to the European Anti-Fraud Office (Olaf) was made last week, a Commission spokeswoman said, after communications between the peer and Epstein were among the published documents.