Scotland Secretary Douglas Alexander has admitted to having a secret meeting with a Global Counsel employee brokered by Peter Mandelson who was at the time Chairman of Global Counsel. It being his lobbying company…
Alexander wanted a “trade policy expert” to help him in his previous role as trade and security minister. He asked Mandelson for a recommendation…
He wrote two days ago to Starmer:
“I wanted to make you aware of an oversight that has emerged in the transparency reporting of a meeting that took place whilst I was the Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security.
On the 21st July 2024 I asked Peter Mandelson, given his past experience as EU Trade Commissioner, to suggest the name of a British trade policy expert from his time at the European Commission, with whom I could meet. The name suggested was a former official of the European Commission, working on trade policy, who by that time worked at Global Counsel.
I passed his details on to my officials in DBT, who facilitated, attended and minuted the subsequent meeting on the 31 July 2024. The minute was then shared widely with trade officials within the department at the time. The meeting covered general trade policy across the globe and that there was no discussion of named businesses or of any ongoing role for Global Counsel.
The management of my transparency reporting was delegated by me to officials as permitted in the ‘Ministers’ overseas travel and meetings: Publication Guidance’. In March 2026, in the process of complying with the Humble Address, I became aware that this meeting had been omitted from the DBT transparency website and instructed officials to rectify this error.
I am grateful to have received the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards’ advice on this matter and of course regret this inadvertent administrative oversight.”
Starmer replied:
“I am grateful for your swift action to rectify the oversight in declaring the meeting you held on 31 July with someone who at the time worked for Global Counsel, after its omission from the relevant transparency publication came to light. While this administrative oversight is regrettable, you acted appropriately when the issue was identified, including engaging with the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards, and I consider no further action to be needed.”
Fallout from the Mandelson Files – where this meeting was mentioned – continues…
Speaking at his speech on how to achieve “progressive capitalism” Wes Streeting fired a dig and Andy Burnham:
“Bond markets are not bond villains and fiscal rules matter.”