Police give Mandelson WhatsApps replace after Wes Streeting shares personal messages

On Feb 10, 2026

Detectives are assessing material about Lord Mandelson as part of an investigation into his alleged misconduct in public office, with the peer accused of sharing confidential documents with Jeffrey Epstein

12:59, 10 Feb 2026Updated 13:03, 10 Feb 2026

Ministers have been warned not to follow Wes Streeting and publish their messages with Peter Mandelson amid a police investigation into alleged misconduct in a public office.

Detectives are assessing material about Lord Mandelson as part of an investigation into his alleged misconduct in public office, with the peer accused of sharing confidential government documents with Jeffrey Epstein.

In a message on Monday night, the Cabinet Office said members of Government should not release material that could be covered by a motion passed in Parliament last week. Meanwhile, Scotland Yard warned on Tuesday that it was “vital due process is followed” so as not to compromise its probe.

In a bombshell move, the Health Secretary shared his private messages with Lord Mandelson as he hit back at smears over their relationship. Mr Streeting told Sky News that he had “nothing to hide”. However, a Met spokesman has now warned against material being published that could have an impact on the investigation.

A Met Police spokesperson said: “An investigation into alleged misconduct in public office is under way and it is vital due process is followed so that our criminal investigation and any potential prosecution is not compromised.

“As part of our enquiries, we will review material identified and provided to us by the Cabinet Office to assess whether publication is likely to have a detrimental impact on our investigation or any subsequent prosecution. We will work alongside the Cabinet Office to review relevant documents over the weeks ahead. The process to decide which documents should ultimately be published remains a matter for government and parliament.

“As we have stated previously, this investigation may be complex but we are focused on a timely and thorough process so that justice is served in this case or future ones linked to the Epstein files. We understand and respect the role of parliament in releasing these documents and will support their objective of transparency through our work with the Cabinet Office.”

Private messages showed Mr Streeting admitting he fears he is “toast at the next election,” that he thinks the government has “no growth strategy at all,” and that Israel is “committing war crimes before our eyes”.

Mr Streeting hit out at “smear and innuendo” over his relationship with Lord Mandelson as he publishes some of their messages. He said in an article for the Guardian that the pair were not close friends but added: “I am not going to wash my hands of my actual association with him either”.

Asked about messages being published on Tuesday, Downing Street called for all publication of the messages to be guided by the Met. The PM spokesperson said: “The government’s position is that we will cooperate fully with the Met’s investigation providing any assistance required… We have said right from the outset that we will be guided by the Met and respect the integrity of their investigation.” Asked if he thought Mr Streeting had jeopardised the Met’s probe, the spokesman added: “I don’t think that’s been suggested.”

Control over which files can be released into the public domain has been ceded to Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) after a Labour backlash to No 10’s initial attempt to add possible exemptions to protect international relations.

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Committee chairman Lord Beamish said the ISC would not “do anything which would undermine” the police investigation following accusations Lord Mandelson passed market-sensitive information to Epstein when he was business secretary following the 2008 financial crisis.