Mandelson was offered highly classified briefing before vetting completed

Newly released documents suggest Foreign Office may have begun to brief new US ambassador while higher-level checks ongoing Peter Mandelson was offered a highly classified briefing from the Foreign Office as US ambassador before he finished the formal vetting process, newly released documents reveal. The documents were released after the Conservatives forced the disclosures about the appointment of Mandelson, who was sacked in September last year because of his close association with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The initial tranche disclosed by the Cabinet Office covers the vetting of Mandelson as a potential US ambassador as well as discussions around his dismissal in autumn last year. The documents suggest that the FCDO may have begun to brief Mandelson on classified information after his appointment – but before he was formally vetted at the highest levels. The offer of a briefing came just over a fortnight after Mandelson’s appointment had been announced on 20 December 2024. An email dated 23 December from the head of the US & Canada department at the FCDO to Mandelson outlined his onboarding arrangements. In this email, the official states: “We’ll brief you further in per