WhatsApp messages reveal Mandelson’s Oxford chancellor PR push

Peter Mandelson furiously lobbied key political figures in his bid to become chancellor of the University of Oxford, saying the institution’s new online voting system would be the “first real shot for a Labour figure to win”, newly released messages show.

Documents published by the UK government covering Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador feature communications related to the disgraced politician’s campaign to become chancellor of the prestigious university – the government said these were included as parliament had “expressed a significant interest” in the topic. 

Mandelson unsuccessfully campaigned to become chancellor in 2024, eventually losing out to former Conservative Party leader William Hague. 

Excerpts of WhatsApp conversations between Mandelson and others show he asked multiple politicians, including cabinet ministers, to support his campaign, positioning it as a chance for a Labour figure to secure the position. 

Energy secretary Ed Miliband, Torsten Bell, now minister for pensions, and new health secretary James Murray are among those Mandelson contacted about the campaign. 

In a widely-shared message, he wrote: “With William Hague’s extensive campaign organisation backed by [Conservative Campaign Headquarters], and substantial support amongst alumni, it is important for us to get out the vote. Please forward this to as many friends and contacts who might be registered to vote, or alumni group chats, so that we get the best Chancellor for Oxford University.”

In other messages, he said “we need as many Labour leaning people as possible to register” and that “Oxford’s Labour students really want this election to go Labour’s way for the first time in the university’s history”. 

Another message circulated in September 2024 stated: “The Chancellor has always been a Conservative party politician. Now that voting is online we have our first real shot for a Labour figure to win.”

Oxford allowed graduates and alumni to cast their votes online for the first time in the 2024 election. 

In a message to Labour MP Georgia Gould, Mandelson asks if she was “still networked with your Labour chums from Oxford”. 

“Hague has well oiled machine apparently and thousands of [Oxford University Conservative Association] members to draw on,” he continues. 

In response, Gould, now a minister in the Department for Education, says she would “mobilise the labour group”. In a later exchange, after Mandelson says he was “worried about the cabinet office”, Gould responds: “I will make a map of all oxford alumni and you tell me how to organise cabinet office??”

They also discussed specific Oxford graduates, the names of whom are redacted, who Gould suggested might be supportive of Mandelson’s campaign. 

Similarly, James Murray, who was exchequer secretary to the treasury at the time, said he would message “Labour people I was there with to encourage them to register too”. 

In September 2024, Mandelson also asked science minister Patrick Vallance if he would be available for a panel event on research and innovation in Oxford for members of the university.

In an email he writes: “It would not be a campaign event as such (I am running for Chancellor) but would be an attempt to stimulate interest in the subject”. 

In response, Vallance said: “This sounds like a very good proposal. Could we do it after the election of the new Chancellor so that it doesn’t get seen as part of that process?”

Despite his heavy campaigning, Mandelson failed to make it to the final round of the contest. Weeks after Hague’s victory, it was announced that Mandelson had been appointed as the UK's ambassador to the US. He was sacked from this position in September 2025 after the extent of his links to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were revealed. 

helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com