Keir Starmer Defends Vanishing WhatsApp Messages Following Mandelson Document Release

Key Points

• Sir Keir Starmer has defended his use of WhatsApp’s disappearing messages function after Downing Street confirmed the Prime Minister uses this feature
• Only a limited number of text messages between Starmer and Lord Peter Mandelson were disclosed in the Mandelson files released to Parliament on Monday
• The second tranche of more than 1,000 pages of documents revealed embarrassing messages about Starmer’s leadership from Lord Mandelson
• Lord Mandelson described Starmer as “consistently going for direction B” and said the Prime Minister “lacks verve”
• Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper stated Mandelson should “never have been appointed” as ambassador to the US but avoided calling Starmer a “strong and effective leader”
• WhatsApp messages allow users to set automatic disappearance after 24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days
• Cabinet minister Pat McFadden’s WhatsApp exchanges with Mandelson revealed frustration with Labour MPs and welfare reform discussions
• MPs voted earlier this year to force disclosure of documents relating to Mandelson’s time as ambassador
• Starmer sacked Lord Mandelson in September 2025 after leaked emails showed the peer sent supportive messages while Jeffrey Epstein faced jail for sex offences
• MPs will debate the second tranche of files on Wednesday

London (Britain Today News) June 2, 2026 – Downing Street confirmed on Tuesday that Sir Keir Starmer employs the disappearing messages function on WhatsApp, meaning communications with Lord Mandelson on that platform would not be preserved, sparking questions about the completeness of the messages disclosed in the Mandelson files released to Parliament on Monday.

Sir Keir said when speaking to broadcasters:

“Let me assure you I have complied with the humble address. All the messages I hold have been passed over. I went through the same process as everybody else. And many people, not just in politics, use disappearing messages.”

The Prime Minister’s insistence that he has fully complied with requests to hand over his WhatsApp messages relating to Lord Mandelson’s appointment comes after it was revealed that only a limited number of text messages between the former ambassador to Washington DC and the Prime Minister were included in the disclosed files. Downing Street confirmed the use of the disappearing messages function is permitted

“as long as use of them does not impact record-keeping or transparency,”

according to the Prime Minister’s official spokesman.

What Did Starmer Say About His WhatsApp Messages?

The Prime Minister addressed broadcasters directly on Tuesday, providing a clear defence of his position regarding the WhatsApp messages. Sir Keir stated:

“I want to assure you that I have adhered to the humble address. All the messages I possess have been submitted. I underwent the same procedure as everyone else. Many individuals, not only in politics, utilize disappearing messages.”

The spokesman had earlier insisted Sir Keir had complied fully with the humble address process – the mechanism by which MPs ordered the release of the Mandelson files – even though he used the disappearing messages function. This position was maintained despite the acknowledgment that communications with Lord Mandelson via WhatsApp would not have been retained on the Prime Minister’s device.

How Does WhatsApp’s Disappearing Messages Function Work?

WhatsApp allows users to set messages to automatically vanish after 24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days, meaning past exchanges between the prime minister and Lord Mandelson would now be unrecoverable. The Cabinet Office guidelines on messaging platforms like WhatsApp state that disappearing messages, which disappear after a user-defined duration, “serve to limit the accumulation of messages on devices” and are therefore permissible, according to The Guardian’s press briefing report.

When asked whether additional messages might have been lost due to the disappearing feature, and after Mandelson declined to share details from his device, the spokesperson stated that Starmer had submitted all necessary information. This clarification came during a press briefing when the Prime Minister’s spokesperson affirmed that he “does use disappearing messages,” noting that this practice aligns with official recommendations regarding non-corporate communication methods.

What Embarrassing Messages Were Revealed in the Files?

Some of the WhatsApp messages detailed in the files proved embarrassing for Sir Keir, whom Lord Mandelson described as “consistently going for direction B,” according to the original news report that first broke this story. The documents revealed Lord Mandelson was highly critical of Sir Keir’s operation in messages, saying the Prime Minister “lacks verve” and that Chancellor Rachel Reeves could not explain where economic growth would come from, as reported by Yahoo News in their politics section.

In a July 2025 message to Cabinet minister Pat McFadden, Mandelson remarked:

“I went into No10 after seeing you. It is beleaguered and lacking direction. It needs a comprehensive revamp and a boost of purpose and confidence to make any progress.”

He further criticized Starmer for his lack of energy, stating that Chancellor Rachel Reeves was unable to articulate a plan for economic growth.

What Did Yvette Cooper Say About Mandelson’s Appointment?

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Lord Peter Mandelson should “never have been appointed” as ambassador to the US, but sidestepped a question on whether Sir Keir is a strong and effective leader, as reported in the original coverage. She described the disclosure of messages over Lord Mandelson’s appointment as an “unedifying process,” a day after the Government released a second tranche of more than 1,000 pages of documents,.

Ms Cooper was asked about the disgraced peer’s portrayal of the Prime Minister’s working cycle as “advance/buckle/advance/buckle” during a trip to Beijing. She told reporters in Beijing:

“What I would say is that Peter Mandelson should never have been appointed as ambassador to the United States, and look, of course there’s been a lot of transparency now about messages being released. That’s always an unedifying process but right to be transparent. We mustn’t forget two things, first is that in the end this whole thing started about Epstein’s abuse of young women and girls, and sometimes the conversation gets pulled away from that. Secondly, I think the whole Government is getting on with the most important issues that affect our country, and that’s exactly why I’m here in China having these important discussions about international security”.

Why Did Cooper Avoid Calling Starmer a Strong Leader?

The Foreign Secretary evaded a question on whether she could describe the Prime Minister as a strong and effective leader, according to multiple media reports covering this development. She replied:

“I’m in China pursuing issues around international security which follows on from the Prime Minister’s visit here to China with President Xi earlier this year,”

when pressed on the question.

This refusal to endorse Starmer’s leadership came amid the release of damning messages that laid bare splits within Labour, with the Prime Minister having chaired a meeting of his Cabinet on Tuesday morning after the latest document dump revealed internal party friction, as reported in the original news coverage.

What Did Pat McFadden’s Messages Reveal About Labour?

Monday’s release included records of WhatsApp exchanges between Lord Mandelson and Cabinet minister Pat McFadden that revealed the latter’s frustration with his colleagues, according to the original reporting. Following local election losses and a defeat in the Runcorn by-election in May 2025, McFadden remarked:

“There’s a lot of maneuvering happening this week. (Rayner), Gordon (Brown). It doesn’t feel good for Keir,”

He also expressed concerns that Labour MPs were “asking the wrong questions.”

“Every meeting I attend revolves around ‘who can we tax to provide benefits to others,'”

Mr. McFadden, who assumed the role of Work and Pensions Secretary in September 2025. McFadden – then Cabinet Office minister – told Mandelson:

“Every meeting I have is ‘who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others’,” and that “they’re asking the wrong questions”.

McFadden, who was the senior minister in the Cabinet Office at the time, also acknowledged Starmer’s authority risked being destroyed by a Labour revolt over welfare reforms.

“I think it’s very bad. Defeat, pull Bill or gut it all destroys his authority,”

he said in messages to Mandelson.

What Did Mandelson Say About Starmer’s Leadership?

Lord Mandelson was highly critical of Sir Keir’s operation in messages, saying the Prime Minister “lacks verve” and that Chancellor Rachel Reeves could not explain where economic growth would come from. In a message to McFadden in July 2025, he said:

“I went into No10 after I saw you. It is beleaguered and bereft. It requires complete revamp and infusion of purpose and confidence to get anywhere,”.

Some of the WhatsApp messages detailed in the files proved embarrassing for Sir Keir, whom Lord Mandelson described as “consistently going for direction B,. The release laid bare Mandelson’s damning opinion of the government, as he warned that Sir Keir’s Downing Street operation is “beleaguered and bereft”.

When Did Starmer Sack Lord Mandelson and Why?

Sir Keir sacked Lord Mandelson in September 2025 after leaked emails which showed the peer sent supportive messages even as late paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein faced jail for sex offences, according to the original reporting. The Foreign Office noted in a statement regarding Lord Mandelson’s dismissal:

“The emails reveal that the depth and nature of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein materially different from what was known at the time of his appointment,”

in their September 2025 coverage.

MPs voted earlier this year to force the disclosure of documents relating to his time as ambassador, leading to the Monday release of nearly 1,500 pages consisting of emails, messages, and various documents relating to Mandelson’s selection as ambassador to Washington. Lord Mandelson himself “declined to comply” with a request to hand over his personal phone and allow the government to publish WhatsApp messages and other information related to his appointment, the documents showedt.
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What Happens Next With the Mandelson Files Debate?

MPs will have the opportunity to debate the second tranche of files on Wednesday, according to the original news coverage. The Prime Minister chaired a meeting of his Cabinet on Tuesday morning after the latest document dump laid bare splits within Labour, demonstrating the internal party friction that has emerged from these disclosures.

Cabinet minister Nick Thomas-Symonds told that the government were “determined” to be transparent even if it causes embarrassment. Thomas-Symonds could not comply with the request for access as his phone was stolen last year, but he insisted:

“I’m not hiding at all here,”

He went on to explain how he exchanged WhatsApp messages with Mandelson, congratulating each other on their new roles and discussing the disgraced peer’s campaign to become Chancellor of the University of Oxford.

How Did Conservatives Respond to the Files Release?

In response, the Conservatives’ Alex Burghart said the files reflect “extremely badly” on the PM’s judgement and undermined his “credibility,”. He expressed his concerns about why the interactions between Starmer and Mandelson appear to be “almost nil” and insisted they must have been in regular contact, raising questions about the completeness of the disclosed communications.

When asked about the messages showing a lack of faith in Starmer, Thomas-Symonds defended him, saying that some of those criticisms came at a time when the prime minister was looking at ways to improve and restructure Downing Street, including appointing Darren Jones as his Chief Secretary.

What Does This Mean for Starmer’s Leadership?

The documents featured numerous messages between Mandelson and several ministers, including records of WhatsApp exchanges revealing internal Labour Party frustrations, laying bare divisions within the government. The Foreign Secretary’s refusal to describe Starmer as a “strong and effective leader” amid these revelations has raised questions about the Prime Minister’s standing within his own party, particularly as the documents reveal Mandelson’s warning that Sir Keir’s Downing Street operation is “beleaguered and bereft”.

Starmer led a meeting of his Cabinet on Tuesday morning following this latest batch of files laying bare divisions within his party, demonstrating the leadership challenges he faces as these damaging messages continue to emerge. The whole situation started about Epstein’s abuse of young women and girls, and sometimes the conversation gets pulled away from that, as Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasized during her remarks in Beijing.