Lord Mandelson claimed that former Health Secretary Wes Streeting experienced an “early mid-life crisis” ahead of the UK’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state in messages to a cabinet minister, it has emerged.
The messages between Pat McFadden, the work and pensions secretary, and the disgraced former US ambassador were released yesterday as part of documents published by the government, after it was compelled by Parliament to release documents relating to Mandelson’s appointment to the country’s most important diplomatic post.
The former New Labour grandee resigned after more information came to light about his friendship with paedophile sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Over 1000 pages of documents – including government emails, minutes of meetings, texts and WhatsApp messages were published yesterday, including the correspondence of senior ministers with Mandelson.
In February last year, Streeting pre-empted the government’s report by voluntarily releasing his communications with Mandelson.
In them, he expressed fears that he could lose his seat to a pro-Gaza independent candidate and, shortly after France’s decision to unilaterally recognise a Palestinian state in July 2025, suggested that the UK should follow suit and accused Israel of committing “war crimes” and “talking the language of ethnic cleansing”.
The messages released yesterday, though, show that Mandelson had branded Streeting’s message “hysterical”.
In partially redacted messages between McFadden and Mandelson on 24-25 July last year, McFadden first discussed the humanitarian situation in Gaza, before adding: “Keir not attracted to gestures but he might have no alternative”.
He then went on to ask whether Mandelson had spoken to Morgan McSweeny, the prime minister’s then chief of staff, as the sentiment among Labour MPs was changing on the topic.
“I think he thinks ground shifting because of mood in the PLP”, McFadden wrote.
Mandelson replied that they “touched on it” and, after some redactions, appeared to draw a parallel between the government’s changing positions on welfare reform.
“Like welfare. We don't make in principle case for our policy and then get cornered by revolt.”
After some further messages, he added: “By way, I received a wild, long hysterical message from Wes about Israel. I pushed back. I can forward, but reflects pretty badly on his maturity in my view.”
McFadden replied: “He is very active on the MPs WhatsApp groups on this subject.”
Then, in the early hours of 29 July last year, Mandelson forwarded McFadden a US State Department position statement labelling a conference on the two-state solution in New York “unproductive” and “ill-timed” given hostages were still being held by Hamas.
And, on the day of a special cabinet meeting dedicated to Middle East policy, after which the government would announce its intent to recognise a Palestinian state, McFadden said in a partially redacted message that Streeting had circulated “a series of videos and a note … to the whole cabinet in advance of the meeting”.
“It’s pathetic”, Mandelson replied. “I think Wes is experiencing an early mid-life crisis, he added.
Streeting resigned from cabinet shortly after May’s local elections, in which Labour suffered significant losses, and said he had lost confidence in Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership.
He indicated that he would likely stand in a leadership contest should a formal challenge to Starmer be triggered.
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