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UK Government to Unveil Files on Disgraced Ex-Ambassador Mandelson Amid Epstein Scandal
LONDON – The British government has pledged to release a trove of documents concerning the controversial appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States, despite his known connections to the late, disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. This decision follows a forceful push by the Conservative Party, which threatened a parliamentary vote to compel the government to publish these records.
Critics have long argued that Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein was a known factor during his appointment, though the full extent of their ties has only recently come to light.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced intense questioning in Parliament on Wednesday regarding the revelations and the rationale behind Mandelson’s appointment. “I intend to make sure that all of the material is published,” Starmer assured lawmakers, adding a caveat that the release would exclude documents compromising national security, international relations, or ongoing police investigations into Mandelson’s activities.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch immediately expressed skepticism, demanding the release of “all relevant files and not just the ones the prime minister wants us to see.” Badenoch accused the government of “trying to sabotage that release with an amendment to let him choose what we see,” further asserting, “The national security issue was appointing Mandelson in the first place.”
Starmer acknowledged that he was aware Mandelson had maintained contact with Epstein after the financier’s 2008 prison term. However, the Prime Minister stated that Mandelson had “misrepresented the extent” of their relationship and “lied throughout the process, including in response to the due diligence.”
“Mandelson betrayed our country, our Parliament and my party,” Starmer declared in the House of Commons. “He lied repeatedly to my team when asked about his relationship with Epstein, before and during his tenure as ambassador.
I regret appointing him. If I knew then what I know now, he would never have been anywhere near government.”
Starmer’s office directed inquiries to the Prime Minister’s remarks in the House of Commons. The Prime Minister also announced that he had instructed his team to draft legislation to strip Mandelson of his title.
The saga deepened last week when the U.S. Justice Department released a significant batch of documents related to the Epstein case, including emails between Epstein and Mandelson.
These files reportedly indicate that in 2009, Mandelson shared an internal government report with Epstein and discussed lobbying for reduced taxes on bankers’ bonuses. Additionally, the documents suggest Epstein made payments totaling $75,000 to accounts linked to Mandelson or his partner, Reinaldo Avila da Silva.
In the wake of these disclosures, Mandelson resigned from the House of Lords on Sunday.
This past September, Starmer had already removed Mandelson from his ambassadorial post after a series of emails, published by The Sun newspaper, revealed his continued friendship with Epstein even after the financier’s 2008 conviction for sex offenses involving a minor.
Following the latest revelations, London’s Metropolitan Police have launched an investigation into the former ambassador. Metropolitan Police Cmdr. Ella Marriot confirmed that the Met received “a number of reports” regarding alleged misconduct in public office after the recent DOJ document dump, including a referral from the UK government.
“I can confirm that the Metropolitan Police has now launched an investigation into a 72-year-old man, a former Government Minister, for misconduct in public office offenses,” Marriot stated.
The House of Lords has declined to comment on the ongoing police investigation.