Wednesday briefing: ​As the Mandelson revelations continue with no respite, can the public ever trust UK politicians again?

In today’s newsletter: A fresh tranche of leaked messages has reignited doubts in a country weary from years of scandal about how power is exercised in Westminster Good morning. I’m Libby, and I’m joining First Edition today as lead writer. Thanks for having me in your inbox; it’s an invitation I won’t take for granted. I’ve reported for the Guardian everywhere from East Timor to Easterhouse (even a doggy swimming pool in Inverclyde), and I wanted to do this job now because talking directly with our readers has never been more essential. In this climate of “increasing misinformation, AI slop and divisive technology,” our editor-in-chief Katharine Viner recently described Guardian journalism as “the connective tissue that helps fight isolation and sustains democracy”. I want First Edition to play its part in that. Rest assured, we’ll still provide an early briefing to navigate news overwhelm, digest the story of the day and take you under the bonnet of our reporting. But we’ll be trying out some new formats and ideas to elevate your mornings – please do let us know what you love, what you hate and if you have any ideas by hitting reply. Change doesn’t hap