UK Government Held Secret Meetings With Peter Mandelson’s Lobby Firm

The Labour government failed to keep any written records of meetings between clients of Peter Mandelson’s lobbying firm and top civil servants, an investigation by openDemocracy has revealed.

The undeclared meetings included a roundtable with oil giants Shell and Equinor and private equity companies JP Morgan and Blackstone.

Global Counsel went into administration in February with debts of £4.6m, after multiple clients pulled their accounts following revelations about Mandelson’s close friendship with paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein – whom he probed for advice when starting the company. ​

But prior to that, the business was flourishing – with the company onboarding over 20 new clients in the months after Labour’s 2024 election victory. Those clients included Palantir, Shell and TikTok.

Global Counsel boasted of its access to the party of government. “Our clients’ engagement pays dividends in the long run,” the company wrote in promotional materials, claiming it was “uniquely placed” to help corporate clients “establish relationships that outlive the election and deliver policy dividends on the other side”.

Profits skyrocketed from £7.9m in 2022 to £13.9m in 2024, with Mandelson appointed  ambassador to the US in December 2024.

The government has previously faced criticism for failing to declare a meeting between Keir Starmer, Mandelson and Palantir in 2025.

The Civil Service Code legally requires civil servants to “keep accurate official records”.