Speeches by Mohamed.

“Could it have happened in this situation?”

“None of the emails makes reference to him being subject to cleared vetting. It is almost as though it was, “He has got the job and we are just going through the process.” Was there anything in any of the documents that said it was all subject to satisfactory DV?”

“Would you foresee a situation where, if the final DV had been refused, that would have been rejected by the Cabinet Office? I cannot foresee a situation where that could have happened, given how he was treated, and when all the emails have implied that he has the job. Would you have foreseen a situation where it could …”

“Could it have been a possibility?”

“I come on to another fact-finding call, this time with Jonathan Powell. He is recorded as saying that he raised concerns directly with yourself in relation to the reputation of Mandelson. You responded to him saying that “the issues had been addressed.” What issues had been addressed?”

“A number of emails came out in the Humble Address that were from prior to Mandelson being appointed. Was it normal for No. 10 to be sending emails to prospective candidates?”

“One of the emails references that you had a discussion with Mandelson. What was that discussion?”

“You referenced earlier the Cabinet Office’s “fit and proper” exemption. You said that you thought that was odd, insufficient and unusual. Did you reference your concerns to No. 10 or to the Cabinet Office?”

“Again, one of the emails references that an iPad, laptop and iPhone were given to Mandelson. Is it usual practice to give that to somebody who is not yet cleared?”

“It was all in the public domain, so this is everything that the general public would have known. So was this not serious enough to require you to first of all look into the evidence, and secondly, report it to the Prime Minister?”

“So it could be linked to a cloud—it could be backed up somewhere?”

“Final question from me. You said it was wrong to appoint Mandelson. Why is it wrong now, but it was right back then?”

“Okay, so questions were asked in relation to the JP Morgan report, but not enough to cause serious concern.”

“I want to take us back to a couple of questions that the Chair asked earlier in relation to Matthew Doyle. In the note to the Prime Minister on 11 December, the “Director of Communications” is recorded as saying of Peter Mandelson that he was “satisfied with his responses to questions about contact” with Epstein. Matth…”

“Following on from colleagues’ questions in relation to pressure, what did that look like? Were you receiving regular phone calls?”

“The emails also reference that he had had briefings from senior officials at the FCDO. Were you aware of the content of those briefings?”

“Okay. I will reference some of them. These are all in the public domain and were from 2019. Epstein says, “was Petie helpful?” That is in relation to the intention to sell a Government asset. Epstein emailed Mandelson saying, “I like to see my suggestions come to fruition.” In 2010, Mandelson shares the guestlist for a…”

“Given the scale of the appointment, do you think that three questions were sufficient to interrogate Mandelson?”

“Have you read the emails between Mandelson and Epstein in the JP Morgan report?”

“You do not recall any issues being addressed.”