That's handy

Starmer faces 'cover-up' claims as chief aide's Mandelson messages 'were on stolen phone'

Keir Starmer is facing claims of a cover-up today after it emerged his chief aide's messages to Mandelson have gone missing.

Discussions between Morgan McSweeney and the peer were apparently on a mobile phone that has been stolen.

That means some information cannot be retrieved to be published with a swathe of other material about Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador.

It all sounds very casual and certainly doesn't come across as joined-up government, but the whole appointment process seems to have been casual. Especially when Keir Starmer is so keen to stress that processes have been followed after previous debacles.

Maybe Starmer could try asking Xi Jinping if they have the phone and can we have it back if they have finished laughing at the contents.