Starmer accused of coverup over vanishing message admission

When the government released the latest tranche of Peter Mandelson’s emails, people were expecting to see more from Keir Starmer. In the end, however, the messages between the two men amounted to one page’s worth of material. And now, we’ve learned how Starmer managed to wriggle out of it:

NEW: No 10 finally confirms that Keir Starmer uses *disappearing messages* function – meaning that countless exchanges with Mandelson may have been lost

— Jason Groves (@JasonGroves1) June 2, 2026

Starmer scandal

Starmer’s official spokesperson has explained:

The prime minister does use disappearing messages. As you’ll be aware some ministers do use that function in line with the government’s advice on non-corporate communications channels.

It was further noted it’s only permissible so long as deleting the messages:

does not impact record keeping or transparency responsibilities

Providing more detail on what these responsibilities are, the BBC wrote in 2021:

According to official guidance, which has existed since 2013, a record only needs to be retained “if it is needed for substantive discussions or decisions in the course of conducting business”.

For example, this law would apply to messages exchanged between special advisers and a minister regarding government policy.

UK law requires that such messages be archived to record, and it is up to the originator or recipient of such messages to “take the steps” to ensure this is done.

WhatsApp and other messengers automatically delete messages after a set period. In other words, whatever app he’s using is likely just blanket deleting everything. Will some of these messages relate to government policy? You’d assume yes, but we’ll never know, because Starmer set his device to delete them.

Dodgy, right?

And people aren’t happy:

This should be a resigning matter

Remember Starmer during and post covid on WhatsApp issues https://t.co/Xg7Ljfh1uc

— The Blasted Cat (@RobbieTwts) June 2, 2026

This looks like a desperate cover up.

The wholesale redactions.

The absence of anything from Starmer.

If this was a civil court case, the Government would be ordered to come clean.

But the Courts are powerless to intervene.

Only Parliament can do so and it’s controlled… https://t.co/JF6tppYeHP

— Mike Gardner (@mikegardner_wb) June 2, 2026

Transparency when?

The BBC article above was covering a legal challenge against the Boris Johnson government in 2021. As Kerry Shaw of the Citizens said in the piece:

A government of WhatsApp and Signal is undemocratic and unlawful.

It’s enabling the rampant cronyism and sleaze that’s infecting this government.

We’re seeing a wholesale theft of evidence that belongs to the people – and to history.

Here’s what the campaign group FoxGlove said:

The government has admitted they let ministers and officials set texts to delete. Once a text is gone, it’s gone. Crucial discussions at the heart of government are vanishing – for good. This avoids transparency and democratic accountability.

Vital evidence of government decision making is being lost to the disappearing text. That could include evidence about Brexit, the Covid response, or a political crony lobbying for government contracts. It’s the modern equivalent of shredding documents and it should stop.

Oh, and here’s what Starmer said about government accountability a year prior:

We need a transparency revolution. There should be no power without accountability, and true accountability requires transparency.

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) February 4, 2020

And here’s what he went on to write in 2021:

Where the current Tory government has muddied the waters of transparency on the … things it does, I want to make it easier to hold government to account… That means everything from ending the outrageous way government departments refuse freedom of information requests.

His deputy Angela Rayner, meanwhile, said (reported by Byline Times):

In the same year, Labour’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, declared that ministers “must not govern by private messages that are then deleted”. She said at the time that “this is completely undemocratic and an attack on transparency and accountability”.

Chancers

The Starmer government really is one of the most dishonest this country has ever produced. And no, we won’t be setting this statement to automatically delete.

Featured image via WPA Pool (Getty Images)