Keir Starmer is bracing for a fresh Mandelson storm today as the first papers on the Labour grandee’s vetting are released.

The government is publishing a tranche of papers on how the peer was appointed as US ambassador, despite his known friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

The PM has already conceded he was aware when giving Mandelson the crucial post that ties had been maintained after the financier was first jailed. The ex-Cabinet minister was later sacked when the American administration issued a massive trove of Epstein’s personal emails. 

However, Sir Keir – who only agreed to disclose the material after a massive revolt by Labour MPs – will not personally face a grilling on the documents today.

Instead, his chief minister Darren Jones will make a statement in the House after the PM’s weekly questions session. 

Lord Mandelson pictured with Jeffrey Epstein. They had a long-standing friendship 

Keir Starmer – who only agreed to disclose the material after a massive revolt by Labour MPs – will not personally face a grilling on the documents today

Lord Mandelson outside his London home this morning ahead of the documents being released

The timing has sparked accusations from the Conservatives that the Prime Minister is attempting to ‘dodge questions’.

Shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart said: ‘His fingers are all over this.

‘He’s already admitted that he knew about Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with Epstein when he appointed him.

‘Time and again his judgment has been found wanting.’

Touring broadcast studios this morning, Mr Jones insisted the Commons timetable meant his statement had to come after PMQs.   

Last month the Commons approved a motion ordering the release of a huge range of material, including messages between Lord Mandelson and ministers and senior officials that could prove embarrassing for the Government.

Following the vote, Sir Keir said he wanted to ensure ‘urgency and transparency’ and apologised for believing the peer’s ‘lies’ about the extent of his relationship with Epstein.

But the scandal triggered a meltdown in Downing Street that almost saw the PM ousted, with his chief aide Morgan McSweeney resigning.  

Some files are expected to be withheld for national security or foreign relations reasons, but the final say rests with Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee.

Ministers had initially wanted to give the Cabinet Secretary control over which papers would be released, but caved to mutinous backbenchers.

The Government has also agreed a framework with the Metropolitan Police on which documents can be released without prejudicing the ongoing police investigation into Lord Mandelson, according to the ISC.

Lord Mandelson was arrested on February 23 on suspicion of misconduct in public office, having been accused of passing sensitive information to Epstein during his time as business secretary.

The PM’s chief minister Darren Jones will make a statement in the House after the PM’s weekly questions session

He was subsequently bailed, but later handed his passport back and freed under investigation. He has denied any criminal wrongdoing or acting for personal gain. 

Mr Jones told Times Radio: ‘We were always teed up to report in early March with the first tranche of documents, which is what we’re doing this afternoon.

‘Because I run the Cabinet Office, at the centre of government, it was always my responsibility to give those updates to the House of Commons and statements always come after Prime Minister’s Questions.’

He added: ‘There will be a second tranche of documents that will come at a later stage.’

Mr Jones told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: ‘On the specific issue of Peter Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to the United States, the Prime Minister has apologised for his appointment and said that it was a mistake.

‘The documents that will be published today later to Parliament will provide full transparency about the appointments process, bar one document that has been held back by the Metropolitan Police because of an ongoing criminal investigation.

‘The Prime Minister said that we only really knew of the depth and extent of Peter Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with Jeffrey Epstein once documents had been published by first Bloomberg and then the United States Department of Justice.

‘As soon as those documents became available, and it became obvious that Peter Mandelson had lied to the Prime Minister about the depth and extent of his relationship, he was sacked as ambassador the United States very promptly.’

On Sky News, Mr Jones said: ‘It’s a big number of documents. Government takes its responsibility to be transparent to Parliament really seriously.

‘And of course, on this issue of Peter Mandelson and his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, we all have a shared interest in bringing some accountability and transparency to these these issues.

‘So the first tranche will be published this afternoon. A second tranche, they will come later, because there’s been further work that we’ve had to do across Government in response to the humble address, which is not quite ready.

‘And we have two other processes that take a bit of time, given the live criminal investigation with the Metropolitan Police and the role of the Intelligence and Security Committee in Parliament has some oversight of it.’