Allies of Morgan McSweeney say National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell had a significant role in getting Mandelson into post as ambassador. One old Blairite helping out another…
Powell and Mandelson go back decades, having worked hand-in-glove throughout the New Labour years. Their long-running partnership includes Mandelson emailing Powell in 2002 to help arrange Tony Blair’s Downing Street meeting with Jeffrey Epstein. The full rundown of their relationship:
- 1994: Powell is recruited by Peter Mandelson via telephone call to work for Blair.
- 1995: Powell becomes Blair’s chief of staff in Opposition, joining Mandelson.
- 1997-2007: Both core members of Tony Blair’s inner circle in government, with Jonathan Powell as chief of staff and Mandelson in various cabinet roles during that time.
- 1998: Powell convinces Blair to remove nasty jokes about Mandelson from his Labour Party Conference Speech.
- 1999-2001: Powell leads backchannel talks on the Northern Ireland Peace process as Blair’s chief negotiator while Mandelson serves as Northern Ireland Secretary.
- 2000-1: Crisis management just before Mandelson’s resignation over the Hinduja passport scandal. Powell reportedly produces a note to lawyers of the Blair court Derry Irvine and Charlie Falconer along with Alastair Campbell confirming Mandelson’s insulation from related inquiries.
- 2002: Mandelson advises Powell via email to arrange Tony Blair’s meeting with Jeffrey Epstein in No10, telling Powell that Epstein is a “friend of mine” and was “safe“. As co-conspirators know, that meeting went ahead…
- 2010: Powell’s book ‘The New Machiavelli’ reflects on Blair-Brown rivalries, referencing Mandelson’s central role in the “triangle”.
- 2010: Powell claims Blair “rushed into dismissing Peter precipitately” after the Hinduja passport scandal broke but before Hammond’s inquiry into it. Claims this was because Blair government was “mesmerised by the press.”
- 2014: Mandelson says he had an “extremely close” relationship with Powell.
- 2024: Mandelson lobbies for Powell to brought back into Government after Labour won the Election. First into an ad-hoc role to negotiate the Chagos surrender deal, then more formally as National Security Adviser…
- 2024-2025: Powell appointed National Security Adviser, Mandelson as UK Ambassador to US.
Tim Allen and Morgan McSweeney have resigned effectively over their close relationship to Mandelson. Could Powell be next…
