Prime Minister Keir Starmer uses disappearing messages on his phone, Downing Street confirmed Monday following the release of correspondence between senior government officials and Lord Mandelson. The disclosure emerged after a batch of ministerial messages became public, notably containing sparse communication from Starmer himself compared to other cabinet members.

The confirmation raised immediate questions about record-keeping practices within government. Disappearing message features, common on platforms like WhatsApp and Signal, automatically delete conversations after a set period. Critics argue such practices conflict with transparency obligations and historical documentation standards for high-level government communications.

Starmer's team defended the practice as routine for security and privacy purposes. No 10 suggested the prime minister employed the feature on encrypted messaging apps alongside traditional email and official channels. The statement stopped short of detailing which conversations used the disappearing message function or how long records remain accessible before deletion.

The timing fueled scrutiny of government transparency. Ministers including Lord Mandelson, who serves as an informal strategic adviser, had their messages included in Monday's release, creating an asymmetry between their documented communications and Starmer's limited visible record.

This practice echoes similar concerns raised during previous administrations. Government officials using encryption and disappearing messages complicates archival efforts and FOIA requests. The Cabinet Manual, which governs ministerial conduct, emphasizes proper record-keeping, though guidance on encrypted communications remains ambiguous.

Starmer's office maintained that the prime minister maintains separate official channels for policy matters and that disappearing messages only apply to personal communications. However, the distinction between personal and governmental discourse at senior levels remains contested territory, particularly when messages involve Lord Mandelson and other key advisers.

The row underscores ongoing tensions between digital privacy and democratic accountability in modern government.