Royal and Political Figures Confronted Over Epstein Connections
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Lord Peter Mandelson are confronting intense demands to disclose everything they know about the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, following the publication of over three million documents by the United States Department of Justice. The pressure has escalated to include calls for formal testimony before US lawmakers, with Lord Mandelson taking the significant step of resigning his membership of the Labour Party to prevent causing it "further embarrassment."
Revelations from the Document Trove
The extensive document release, made public on Friday, contains numerous references to both prominent figures. Among the materials is an email exchange from 2009 in which Lord Mandelson appears to inform Epstein that he would lobby government ministers concerning a proposed tax on bankers' bonuses. Furthermore, bank statements from 2003 and 2004 seem to indicate that Mandelson received payments totalling 75,000 US dollars from the disgraced financier.
Separately, the documents include images purporting to show Andrew, the King's brother, crouched over an unidentified woman lying on a floor. Additional screenshots and scans suggest the former prince exchanged emails with Epstein discussing a "beautiful" Russian woman and extended an invitation for Epstein to visit Buckingham Palace.
Political Fallout and Resignation
In response to the emerging allegations, Lord Mandelson announced on Sunday that he had written to Hollie Ridley, the General Secretary of the Labour Party, to formally resign his party membership. In his letter, he stated: "Allegations which I believe to be false that he made financial payments to me 20 years ago, and of which I have no record or recollection, need investigating by me. While doing this I do not wish to cause further embarrassment to the Labour Party and I am therefore stepping down from membership of the party."
Lord Mandelson, who was dismissed from his role as ambassador to Washington DC last year after revelations of his continued contact with Epstein following Epstein's 2008 guilty plea, also reiterated an apology in his correspondence. He expressed a desire to "repeat my apology to the women and girls whose voices should have been heard long before now."
Mounting Calls for Testimony and Moral Obligations
The political pressure is not confined to Lord Mandelson. Earlier on Sunday, Communities Secretary Steve Reed aligned with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's position that Andrew should provide testimony to the ongoing US congressional investigation into Epstein's network. Andrew, who was stripped of his royal titles by King Charles last year following allegations in a book by Virginia Giuffre, has previously settled a civil sexual assault claim with Ms Giuffre for millions, while vehemently denying any wrongdoing.
Mr Reed emphasised a broader ethical imperative, suggesting that both Andrew and Lord Mandelson hold a "moral obligation" to assist Epstein's victims. He told Sky News: "If anybody has information or evidence that they can share that might help to understand what's gone on and bring justice for those victims, then they should share it, whether that is Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, whether it's Lord Mandelson, or whether it's anybody else. They have a moral obligation to share what they knew so that the victims can help find the justice that they've been denied for so long."
Reports from the Telegraph indicate that US officials are now preparing a summons to compel Lord Mandelson to appear in Washington to testify about his connections to Epstein, signalling that the legal and political scrutiny is likely to intensify in the coming weeks.
