No 10 Confirms Starmer Utilizes Auto-Delete Feature on Official Phone

Downing Street has acknowledged that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer employs an automatic deletion setting on his device, raising the possibility that WhatsApp correspondence involving Lord Mandelson regarding his ambassadorial appointment to the United States may have been permanently erased.

Earlier this year, Members of Parliament voted to mandate the publication of all government records concerning the peer’s nomination, encompassing digital communications. While a substantial volume of messages from senior ministers and civil servants was released on Monday, only a limited number of texts originated directly from the Prime Minister.

Addressing the media, Sir Keir affirmed that he had submitted all messages in his possession and fully cooperated with the disclosure process. "Many people, not just in politics, use disappearing messages," he remarked, noting that the feature allows users to configure texts to vanish after 24 hours, seven days, or 90 days.

Current ministerial guidelines permit the use of such tools provided they do not compromise transparency or record-keeping obligations. Nevertheless, a review into the government’s use of WhatsApp is currently underway. An official spokesperson for the Prime Minister conceded that there are "lessons to be learnt," while emphasizing that the papers included "multiple" documents from the Prime Minister’s private office, describing it as the standard channel for conveying ministerial decisions.

Conservative shadow minister Alex Burghart criticized the situation, stating: "Government guidance is clear: significant information and decisions must be properly recorded and preserved. But Keir Starmer's messages to Peter Mandelson have been disappeared or destroyed."

Lord Beamish, chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee, urged ministers and senior officials to cease using WhatsApp for state business. Citing security risks and the absence of an audit trail for decision-making, the Labour peer highlighted that these concerns had been previously raised with the Johnson and Sunak administrations. "That culture is continuing; it cannot be allowed to continue," he asserted.

Other cabinet figures, including Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy and Chancellor Rachel Reeves, also reportedly utilize disappearing messages.

The disclosed files containing Lord Mandelson and Sir Keir featured six texts that were not sent via WhatsApp. These exchanges included a suggestion from Lord Mandelson on July 17, 2024, shortly after the general election, to invite former Prime Minister Sir John Major for a discussion. Lord Mandelson wrote: "Keir, hope you are well, you have got off to a flying start. I was at a dinner with John Major this evening and if you don't know him I think good idea to invite him for a chat. As well as being a very nice person, he is interesting and thoughtful. Just a thought. No need to reply."

Sir Keir responded a week later: "Thanks Peter. It's so good to be getting on with the job of governing. A million times better than opposition – you know that! I'll reach out to John M, he's a very thoughtful man. See you soon I hope. All best Keir."

The documents also revealed several pages of correspondence between Lord Mandelson and Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden. In one instance, McFadden voiced frustration that meetings with Labour MPs were frequently focused on "who can we tax in order to pay benefits." In a BBC interview, McFadden defended his stance, aligning it with his public and private calls to reform welfare policy. He argued for a shift away from asking "what benefit are you entitled to" toward a focus on "how do we help you change your life."

In another exchange, Lord Mandelson described No 10 as "beleaguered and bereft." When asked if he agreed with this assessment, McFadden replied: "I think prime ministers can often be beleaguered because it's a really tough job," adding that "Keir Starmer is doing a good job for the co"

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-02 17:51:26 UTC