A second senior Labour figure, EU Relations Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds, could not provide WhatsApp messages with Peter Mandelson after his phone was stolen, echoing a similar theft involving former Downing Street chief of staff Morgan McSweeney. The incident complicates the release of the Mandelson Files, a 1,500-page document dump that cost over £1 million and reveals internal Labour tensions but fails to fully explain Mandelson's ambassador appointment.
A second senior Labour figure, Cabinet minister Nick Thomas-Symonds , was unable to hand over any messages exchanged with Peter Mandelson because his mobile phone was stolen.
The crime occurred on October 15 last year, and Thomas-Symonds reported it to police the same evening. As a result, WhatsApp exchanges with Lord Mandelson from 2024 that were stored on his personal device were lost. Thomas-Symonds, the EU Relations Minister, did not provide any messages for the Mandelson Files release beyond those he could recall, which are understood to predate Lord Mandelson's appointment as UK ambassador to the US.
This incident mirrors the experience of former Downing Street chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, a close ally of Lord Mandelson, whose phone was also stolen five days later. While McSweeney did not provide his WhatsApps, the disclosure did include a page of group messages from him. Thomas-Symonds and Lord Mandelson met in January 2025 for a meeting whose details appear in the released official minutes, discussing next steps for the planned EU reset.
An ally of Thomas-Symonds stated that he fully complied with the humble address by sharing all details of messages he could recall, emphasizing that transparency is the only remedy. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson confirmed the theft report on Marsham Street, Westminster, noting the case was closed after no suspects could be identified.
The Government's 1,500-page release is not a complete record; some messages were lost to theft, others may not have been backed up due to disappearing messages or device changes, as admitted by Chief Secretary Darren Jones. Lord Mandelson also declined to comply with a request to hand over his personal phone and allow publication of related messages, with the Government noting it lacks powers to compel third parties outside employment. Future court proceedings could potentially disclose those messages.
The files reveal internal sniping among ministers and officials over the state of Keir Starmer's government, alongside accusations of a cover-up and questions about the £1 million cost of the dossier. They expose Peter Mandelson's continued influence in Labour through his friendship with Morgan McSweeney, despite past scandals.
The dossier includes criticisms of senior figures including Sir Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves, Ed Miliband, and Angela Rayner, but sheds little light on the Prime Minister's decision to appoint Mandelson as ambassador to the United States
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