Alex Burghart has called for complete transparency regarding Lord Mandelson’s selection as US ambassador and his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

Speaking to GB News, the Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster insisted the Government must release all relevant documentation about the appointment.

Mr Burghart emphasised the urgency of disclosure, stating the Conservatives would persist in their efforts to secure publication of what he termed “all of the Mandelson-Epstein files.”

Asked by host Ellie Costello if the issue could overshadow President Trump’s visit, he said: “Absolutely. And last week, we were calling on the Government to just come clean about what had happened with the whole Mandelson affair so that it didn’t overshadow this very important visit by the President of the United States.

“They haven’t done that. It’s dragged on into this week, and we’re going to be trying again today to get the Government to publish all of the Mandelson-Epstein files, so that everybody can see what the Prime Minister knew, when he knew it, and how this appointment came to be made in the first place.”

He criticised Sir Keir Starmer’s failure to address the issue promptly, noting that the situation has extended into the current week.

Mr Burghart stressed that resolving the matter swiftly would prevent it from becoming a distraction during Trump’s stay.

Mr Burghart said: “I’m sure that nobody really wants this being a feature of his visit here, let’s deal with this today.

“The Prime Minister has it in his power to tell us what he knew when, when he came to the House of Commons last week, on Wednesday for Prime Minister’s questions and defended Lord Mandelson, said that Mandelson had his full confidence.

“We now know that he, that No10 knew that there were a lot more emails detailing his intimate relationship with Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, yet why did he come to the House of Commons and defend Mandelson so firmly, given what No10 already knew?”

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Mr Burghart raised serious questions about the appointment’s vetting procedures.

He argued that security services would have uncovered information about Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein, suggesting either the screening failed or someone withheld crucial details from the Prime Minister.

The Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster stated: “More importantly, how is it that Peter Mandelson got appointed in the first place, when the vetting process must have thrown up this information in the first place?

“So either the vetting process got it wrong, very unlikely, we have good security services in this country, or somebody kept that information from the Prime Minister which would be very serious indeed.”

Mr Burghart identified potential responsibility lying with senior advisers such as chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, or alternatively suggested the Prime Minister proceeded with the appointment despite knowing the information.

He concluded: “And that could only have been one of his most senior aides, like his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, or the Prime Minister knew and he made the appointment anyway.

“Somebody is going to have to take responsibility for this, and at the moment, nobody is taking responsibility.”

Burghart also expressed scepticism about the Government’s new immigration arrangement with France, declaring “I’ll believe it when I see it”.

He told GB News: “The meaningful deterrent that the Conservative Party had was left behind when we lost the election last year.

“Unless you have very, very large numbers of people being sent to a third country as quickly as possible, the trafficking gangs are going to still continue to operate. I just think that this is a distraction. I don’t think it’s going to make any difference.”