Starmer's Mandelson saga: Harrogate MP speaks up in Parliament for tightening of the Ministerial Code

Tom Gordon’s plea follows a Government announcement that the second tranche of documents relating to Lord Mandelson's appointment as the UK ambassador to the US will not be published this month.

Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones said the papers would be released after Parliament's upcoming recess to give MPs "sufficient time to review the material".

But Harrogate and Knaresborough’s Lib Dem MP Tom Gordon told Parliament that the Ministerial Code should be made binding after the redacting of files relating to the background to the appointment – and sacking – of Lord Mandelson as ambassador over his friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Speaking as part of an Urgent Question in Parliament regarding the Government’s approach to redacting or withholding documents, Mr Gordon said: “This is one of those times where I really worry about the state of trust between people and the Government.

"We should seriously consider making the Ministerial Code binding so there are actually consequences in these situations.”

Chief Secretary Darren Jones insisted that the Government had adopted a “normal approach” to redacting files, after the committee reviewing the documents.

But the Harrogate MP criticised the fact there was no timetable for the documents’ release and the lack of subsequent accountability measures.

“This whole grubby saga highlights why the Ministerial Code and responsibility in Government is something the public don’t seem to think account for anything anymore,” Mr Gordon told Parliament.

The Ministerial Code currently acts as a set of conventions or guidelines for ministers and lacks any legal basis.

It instead relies on political discretion with the Prime Minister being the ultimate judge of breaches.

Lord Mandelson admitted his friendship with Epstein had been a "terrible mistake" but insisted he "never saw anything in [Epstein's] life that would give me any reason to suspect what this evil monster was doing".

MPs from across the political divide have been highly critical of the PM’s decision to give Lord Mandelson the job.