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Sir Keir Starmer has insisted he has complied with requests to hand over his WhatsApp messages relating to Lord Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador, after it was revealed the Prime Minister uses disappearing messages on the communications app.

Only a limited number of text messages between the former ambassador to Washington DC and the Prime Minister were disclosed in the Mandelson files released to Parliament on Monday.

Downing Street confirmed on Tuesday that Sir Keir uses the disappearing messages function on WhatsApp, so communications with Lord Mandelson on that platform would not be preserved.

The Prime Minister defended his use of the function when speaking to broadcasters.

Sir Keir said: “Let me assure you I have complied with the humble address.

“All the messages I hold have been passed over.

“I went through the same process as everybody else.

“And many people, not just in politics, use disappearing messages.”

Some of the WhatsApp messages detailed in the files proved embarrassing for Sir Keir, whom Lord Mandelson described as “consistently going for direction B”.