A Labour minister faced fury today as he refused to confirm bombshell documents about the hiring and firing of Peter Mandelson will be published before a crunch by-election.Darren Jones admitted that files relating to Lord Mandelson's appointment as ambassador to the US are ready to be published, but will not appear until June at the earliest.Speaking in front of furious MPs he refused to commit to their release before the Makerfield by-election, which is expected to take place on June 18.The seat was won by Labour's Josh Simons at the 2024 election with a 5,399 majority but he quit last week to allow Andy Burnham a route back to Westminster to challenge Sir Keir Starmer.However Mr Burnham faces a major challenge from Reform UK in a working class Leave-voting area.The Mandelson papers are expected to shed light on how the peer was given the top diplomatic job, despite his business dealings and close friendship with the American billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.Their release before the vote could cost Labour votes, and Mr Jones was asked twice, by Tory MPs Alec Shelbrook and Mark Francois, if he would commit to it happening, which he refused to do. Darren Jones admitted that files relating to Lord Mandelson's appointment as ambassador to the US are ready to be published, but will not appear until June at the earliest Speaking in front of furious MPs he refused to commit to their release before the Makerfield by-election, which is expected to take place on June 18 with Andy Burnham runningThe Mandelson papers are expected to shed light on how the peer was given the top diplomatic job, despite his business dealings and close friendship with the American billionaire paedophile Jeffrey EpsteinIn February, MPs demanded the release of a huge tranche of documents connected with Lord Mandelson's appointment, including private messages between the peer and senior ministers and their advisers.The Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) was tasked with reviewing the Government's redactions to some of those documents on national security grounds, but has said ministers should seek permission from Parliament to exclude information on any other grounds.The ISC said on Friday it had made its final decisions on redactions to 337 documents connected to the appointment on national security grounds.But in a statement, the ISC raised 'concerns' about wider redactions, including individuals' personal data, email addresses and the identities of junior civil servants.The committee said it did not think the motion passed by the Commons demanding documents related to the appointment allowed redactions 'other than on grounds of prejudice to UK national security and international relations'.The ISC also suggested redactions on non-security grounds were 'being applied far too broadly', and accused the Government of withholding documents despite not having 'the authority to do so'.Hauled to the Commons to answer questions about the release, Mr Jones confirmed it would not happen before Parliament's Whitsun recess, which begins on Thursday and ends on June 1.He told MPs the Government had to juggle the release with 'other public interest issues, such as our duty of care to junior staff'.Sir Jeremy Wright, a Conservative former minister, told the Commons: 'It has become apparent to us that the Government also intends to redact documents for other reasons not specifically permitted in the humble address or, in some cases, to withhold those documents altogether''Given the House is due to rise on Thursday, and given the length of the publication, the second tranche will now be published after Whitsun recess to give the House sufficient time to review the material and to be able to ask me and the Government questions,' he went on.'It could have been published this Thursday, but I felt that the House would deem that to be inappropriate, given it will be such a significant publication.'Tory frontbencher Neil O'Brien accused the Government of 'yet another cover-up' over redactions to files relating to the appointment of Lord Peter Mandelson.The shadow minister said: 'The House gave the Government a very clear instruction that the only documents that could be redacted were those which might prejudice UK national security or international relations, and all of those documents were to be referred to the ISC.'So, for (Sir Jeremy Wright) to say that the Government has applied redactions to the documents sent to the ISC beyond the scope agreed by the House, and has also withheld documents entirely from the ISC, is an extremely serious matter that completely undermines what this House agreed.'He added: 'Members opposite voted for a cover-up when they voted against referring the Prime Minister to the Privileges Committee over this. They don't like it, but it's true. This House and the people of this country deserve better than yet another cover-up.'Responding, Mr Jones said: 'I take these matters very seriously, as I'm sure members across the House would recognise.'I will not, though, for one instance countenance the idea that there is, as loud as you may want to shout it, a cover-up. If there was any suggestion of a cover-up, I would not be standing at this dispatch box to defend the process. I would resign.'Sir Jeremy, a Conservative former minister, told the Commons: 'The ISC has been considering redactions to documents on the grounds that, if unredacted, those documents may prejudice national security or international relations.'But it has become apparent to us that the Government also intends to redact documents for other reasons not specifically permitted in the humble address or, in some cases, to withhold those documents altogether.'