'Mandelson files lay bare frustration' and 'The welfare party'
Messages between Lord Peter Mandelson and ministers revealed in documents published by the government lead many of the front pages on Tuesday. The Guardian focuses on documents showing that Lord Mandelson "was receiving sensitive security briefings about the Foreign Office's work, and was in discussions with the head of MI6, before he had completed the developed vetting process".
"1,500 page of documents do not contain any smoking gun" writes the i Paper in its lead story, although they "show how quickly some of [Prime Minister Sir] Keir Starmer's key allies lost faith in his ability to lead the Government". The prime minister's authority "crumbled", the paper concludes.
"Lord Mandelson schmoozed Britain's then-foreign secretary David Lammy by vowing 'I would make sure you never regret it' if he was made US ambassador," the Metro says, branding it an "astonishing boast before doomed job offer".
The Mandelson files "exposed the toxic infighting at the heart of Labour", the Daily Mail says.
The "Mandelson files" also reveal that the ex-Labour peer said the prime minister's leadership "lacks verve", the Independent reports.
The Daily Mirror describes Lord Mandelson's message to ministers as "extraordinary treachery behind Keir Starmer's back". Another headline reads "King Kev: I've stage four cancer but I don't walk alone" over a photo of former England captain and manager Kevin Keegan.
The Financial Times leads on Anthropic filing for a listing worth more than $1trn (£743bn), "setting up a three-way race with OpenAI and SpaceX that will test Wall Street's appetite for cash-burning AI labs". It also features the headline: "Mandelson files lay bare frustration at lack of 'verve' in Starmer premiership".
The Daily Telegraph focuses on taxes – in messages showing Mandelson's criticism of Sir Keir Starmer's government. The Telegraph's headline is not something said by Lord Mandelson, but instead by Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden, appearing to complain about Labour backbenchers when he said, "Every meeting I have is: Who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others? They're asking the wrong questions."
"Senior minister's 'extraordinary confession' reveals Labour MPs' welfare demands," reads the crosshead on the Daily Express above the widely reported quote from McFadden: "Who can be taxed to pay benefits?"
Continuing with McFadden's messages, the Times writes they "reveal extent of frustration among ministers at Starmer's lacklustre leadership".
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch seizes on McFadden's "complaint" to describe Labour as the "welfare party", the Sun reports. Elsewhere, the paper writes "England's World cup Campaign "got off to a flyer yesterday – as captain Harry Kane and his squad arrived in the US after jetting in from Birmingham".
Ex-Anfield striker Keegan "says he is pleased the doctor treating his cancer is a Liverpool fan", the Daily Star reports. "My Doc's a red," it says. "I knew I wouldn't be walking alone." It is a reference to Liverpool FC's anthem, You'll Never Walk Alone.