March 11 (UPI) — The British Cabinet Office has released files from its investigation into former ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson on Wednesday as it digs into his ties to deceased sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
The first batch of documents revealed that Mandelson may have been briefed on classified information before being given security clearance when he was appointed as ambassador. They also show that he requested a large government payout when he was terminated last year.
Mandelson was arrested and then released last month in London over suspicion of misconduct in public office. The allegation stems from emails released in the Epstein files in which Mandelson appears to be sharing market-sensitive confidential information with Epstein.
Documents released by the Cabinet Office share some details after his appointment as ambassador in December 2024. Within days of his being appointed, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office offered to brief Mandelson on highly classified information while he was still being vetted.
Emails about the briefing were shared Dec. 23, 2024, about three days after the announcement of Mandelson’s appointment. It was not until Jan. 30, 2025, that Mandelson received an email confirming that he had cleared the vetting process.
It was in this email that he received a formal offer of employment.
When Mandelson was terminated from his position in September, he requested to be paid the full amount on his contract — more than 500,000 euros or $578,625. Instead, he was paid 75,000 euros or $86,793.75 to terminate the contract.
“As the documents show regarding his severance payment, Peter Mandelson initially requested a sum that was substantially larger than the final payment, not just two or even three times, but more than six times the final amount,” said Darren Jones, chief secretary to the prime minister at the Cabinet office.
“Despite the fact that he was withdrawn from Washington because he had lost the confidence of the prime minister, the government obviously found that to be inappropriate and unacceptable.”
The show’s viewers were delighted to see Paul step in, with many sharing their reactions on X (formerly Twitter). “#GMB Quality this morning with @PaulBrandITV. Praise be!”
Another added: “Nice to see Paul on GMB today,” while a third said: “Paul and Kate!”
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He replied: “That’s what proper Shepherd’s Pie is-” Cutting him off, Susanna replied: “No, Shepherd’s Pie is with lamb mince. You made a cottage pie!”
Ed added: “If we did a poll of our viewers, in their lives, was Shepherd’s Pie made with beef or lamb’, 70% of people would say beef.”
Wanting to settle the debate, Good Morning Britain’s official X account asked their viewers in a poll.
They asked: “@edballs has revealed that he made a shepherd’s pie with beef mince last night, but @susannareid100, @Kevin_Maguire and Kwasi Kwarteng say Ed made a cottage pie. Help us settle the debate: Is it OK to make shepherd’s pie with beef mince?”
However, it was clear people weren’t thrilled with the question, as many flocked to comment on the topic.
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One person said: “What utter garbage for a news or even a current affairs programme.” Another reeled: “Is this even a newsworthy debate: how or what Balls cooks for dinner?”
Someone else commented: “That’s your take on world news.” As another shared: “This is taking up airtime. Wtf.”
However, some fans were thrilled to take part in the debate, as one person commented: “Morning, I’m with Ed. I don’t eat Lamb, but I’ve had many tasty Shepherds pies, made with beef.”
Later on in the show, Susanna remarked: “We are losing sleep this morning on whether a pie topped with potato and mince is a Shepherd’s Pie, if it’s made with beef mince.
“My view is that it’s clearly a cottage pie, your view is that it’s clearly a Shepherd’s Pie, despite the fact that Shepherds don’t look after cows.”
While Ed insisted that he was correct, there are some people who are a ‘bit fussy’ over what is correct.
Speaking about the poll, Susanna added: “Obviously, we’re in the middle of conflict, and there are, as we understand, more important things to talk about. But, we’re on air for three and a half hours every morning, so real life does go on, doesn’t it?
“We put a Twitter poll up, help us settle the debate: is it OK to make Shepherd’s Pie with beef mince? No, 63.4%, of course it isn’t.”
Good Morning Britain is available to watch weekdays on ITV from 6am.
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The Thames Tunnel was built by Marc Brunel alongside his son Isambard Kingdom Brunel and hundreds of workers.
It was originally a pedestrian tunnel with lots of shops and entertainment, and then it was later converted into a train tunnel, which the Windrush Line now uses.
As part of your visit, you can head 40 feet underground into the Tunnel Shaft.
Tickets need to be booked in advance via the Museum’s website, using the code ‘LOTTERY26’.
English Heritage Bolsover Castle, Bolsover
Bolsover Castle was once an aristocratic retreat during the 17th century.
Inside, there are wall paintings and lavish interiors, and outside you can explore the Fountain Garden, which is designed around a statue of Venus and features lots of flowers.
If you have kids, there is a play area as well and a tearoom.
It’s not required to book in advance, but use the code ‘NLOPENWEEK26’ to gain free entry.
It is part of the National Lottery’s Open WeekCredit: Getty
Free Family Swims at The Lenton Centre, Nottingham
Between 2:30pm and 3:30pm on Mother’s Day, families can go swimming at The Lenton Centre in Nottingham.
It’s a family swim session so you can master your swimming skills or splash and play.
As spaces are limited, booking in advance is recommended and you just need to bring your swimming gear and a towel.
You’ll learn about the ancient craft, whilst also getting hands-on experience.
The workshop is ideal for beginners or even those with some willow weaving experience that want to learn new techniques.
And what’s better is that you get to take home your creation.
All materials and tools are included, and there are two sessions on Mother’s Day – one starting at 10am and another starting at 2pm.
The workshop will take place at Mingle Cafe Bridgewater and is for over 18s.
To get into the attractions, you will need to show proof of purchasing a National Lottery ticket or instant gameCredit: Getty
Abbotsford, The home of Sir Walter Scott, Melrose
Each day between March 7 and 15 from 12pm, you can head on a free tour of Abbotsford House, which was once home to Sir Walter Scott.
While you do have to pay for admission to Abbotsford, which is £16.20 per adult and gives you access to the house and gardens, the guided tour will be free when you present a National Lottery ticket.
English Heritage Housesteads Roman Fort & Hadrian’s Wall, Northumberland
Housesteads is the most complete example of a Roman fort in Britain and can be found midway along Hadrian’s Wall.
The fort was built around AD 122, which is when work on Hadrian’s Wall began.
Over the decades, excavations have revealed major buildings, defences and even a settlement just outside the walls of the fort.
And you will even be able to see the oldest toilets in Britain!
You don’t need to book in advance but you can do online if you want to by using the code ‘NLOPENWEEK26’.
For example, you can head to the most complete example of a Roman fort in BritainCredit: Alamy
Historic Royal Palaces Hampton Court Palace, London
If you don’t mind celebrating Mother’s Day a day early, then you can head to Hampton Court Palace in London.
Whilst not free, you can get 50 per cent off tickets for up to two adults and four children.
You can explore Tudor kitchens, see amazing architecture and wander through 60 acres of gardens.
Booking online in advance is essential, and you will need to enter the code ‘LOTTERY50’ to benefit from the promotion.
Or head to the royal Hampton Court PalaceCredit: Getty
Filmhouse, Edinburgh
Fancy doing something a little out of the ordinary? Well, you can go on a tour of the projection box at the Filmhouse in Edinburgh.
This unique opportunity allows visitors to see how real film projection works and explore the hidden areas of a film house.
Places are limited to 10 per tour and you’ll need to book your space via the Filmhouse website.
Eden Project, Cornwall
From March 7 to 15, you can get free entry to the Eden Project in Cornwall.
What says Mother’s Day more than flowers? Well, exploring thousands of them alongside other tropical plants.
The Eden Project is also home to the world’s largest indoor rainforest, so you can investigate plants from further afield.
You’ll need to book a free day entry ticket on the website, and then show your National Lottery ticket on arrival.
If your mother loves gardening, head to the Eden ProjectCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
Witley Court and Gardens, Worcestershire
Perfect if you are spending Mother’s Day with children, Witley Court and Gardens boasts exciting woodland trails, sprawling gardens and a wilderness play area.
Witley Court once used to be a Victorian party palace, and inside the audio tour will bring the mansion’s party days to life.
To get free entry, simply show up with a National Lottery ticket or proof of a game.
Owning the smallest house in Britain comes with its fair share of history and responsibility, but the owner’s ancestor only bought it for a mere £20
It once housed a family of six(Image: PA)
Year in, year out, tourists flock to this seaside village to see what is known as Britain’s tiniest home, and day in, day out, its owner is still in shock at just how much attraction it continues to gain.
Jan Tyley inherited the little red house in Conwyn, Wales, from her mother’s cousin back in 2015, and over 10 years later, she is heading up a small business that continues to boom, all thanks to its unusually small size.
Measuring just 72 inches wide and 122 inches high, it holds the official World Record of being the smallest house within the British Isles – a phenomenon that draws in roughly 50-60,000 visitors each year.
The origins of the place sit way back in her family, when her great-great-grandfather bought it in 1891 as a letting property with a sitting tenant. Jan shared: “He was called Robert Jones, and the sitting tenant was called Robert Jones, which has created a lot of confusion over the years.”
Tenants of the past
Robert, the tenant, was a six-foot-three fisherman who was living there up until 1899, when the local council decided that it was not, in fact, a house fit for human habitation.
“I’m 5’7″, and I have to duck to go in, and I frequently forget to come out again,” Jan joked. “So you can imagine what a sore back he must have had.”
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There was no toilet, but instead a shared toilet with the cottages beside it, and so, they threatened to tear it down.
Disheartened and unsure what to do, the landlord was chatting to his friends at the pub, one of whom was the editor of the North Wales Weekly News, Roger Dawson, who suggested it may be the smallest in the country. This led them on a wild pursuit in which they travelled across the UK measuring numerous houses, after advertising the quest in newspapers.
In turn, the council agreed for it to stay put, but that nobody could actually live in it. “So being the enterprising chap, um, my great-great-grandfather said, ‘Well, I’ll turn it into a tourist attraction,'” Jan explained. In May 1900, it became a tourist attraction, and the family never looked back.
The building remains dressed as it was when it was last lived in in 1900, Jan confirmed. Unfortunately, being open to the public has meant they have seen a few items go missing over the years.
While it’s bursting with humorous stories and tales of those who once lived in this tiny abode, the reasoning for them inhabiting such an uncomfortably small space is a lot darker.
“It’s a real testament to the shortage of property in Conwy and how people wanted to live in a house of their own, because sadly the alternative was a poorhouse,” Jan explained.
“When Robert Jones, the last tenant, had to move out, that’s where he ended up. He was in the poorhouse, and sadly that’s where he died. So that’s why, although it’s tiny, people didn’t have a problem living there.”
During the 18th and 19th centuries in Wales, poorhouses were institutions designed for the less fortunate, with conditions made to be ‘prison-like’ in a bid to deter those in financial need from seeking help. Inhabitants were forced into rigid, segregated and often unsanitary living conditions, and so while the cottage was small, it was somewhere people could call their own.
According to records, there was shockingly a family of six all living within the tiny home – a mum and dad and four children. The little one’s beds were believed to be hammocks, which hooked on to the walls and sat in between the beams.
The house today
While the property remains in Jan’s hands, and with no looming threats from the council anytime soon, it continues to be a tourist attraction.
However, the one shift she has noticed in recent years is a rather unusual request, not from landlords or the council, but from YouTubers hoping to immerse themselves in the 1800s experience and share it online.
“I’ve had lots of YouTubers who say, ‘Oh, can we stay the night?’ and they think they’re the first one to think about it. Except, I probably get three or four of them a year.”
Although the house is closed during the winter, from March it is open seven days a week, from 10am right up until 4pm, and Jan has a team of people helping to keep the whole thing running.
“I have a team of eight lovely ladies who do the shift. So, we have two shifts a day. I take my turn on the door as well, but I live about half an hour’s drive away.”
Originally, Jan was living in Oxford, but after inheriting the property, she moved closer to the North Wales spot to take on its wealth of responsibilities.
But for her, it seems a worthwhile decision. She said: “It never ceases to surprise me how many people come to see it each year and from all over the world, which is amazing.
“I’m still amazed at how many people do come through our doors. We probably could get more if we were bigger, but then that wouldn’t be the point.”
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