Newscast Everything We Know (And Don't Know) About The Mandelson Files
13 snips
Mar 11, 2026 
Simon Jack, business and economics journalist, explains the IEA’s coordinated 400 million barrel oil release and what it means for markets. Short takes cover how strategic reserves enter the market, immediate price moves around $90 a barrel, refining and logistical limits, and policy options from fuel duty to windfall tax reform.
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How A Humble Address Opened The Files
- A humble address forced the government to publish documents about Peter Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador.
- Conservatives used the rare mechanism successfully amid outrage over the Epstein files, prompting cross-party involvement and security review.
Due Diligence Already Noted Epstein Links
- The Cabinet Office due diligence listed known public links between Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein before Mandelson's appointment.
- The file notes the relationship continued after Epstein's first conviction and mentions Mandelson allegedly staying at Epstein's house while Epstein was jailed.
Partial Papers Leave Unknown Unknowns
- Today's tranche is partial and readable but may omit informal or unwritten interactions that shaped decisions.
- Hosts warn documents show written advice but not corridor conversations or undisclosed context the Prime Minister saw.