Peter Mandelson has resigned his membership of the Labour party to avoid causing it “further embarrassment” after new revelations about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The former US ambassador, who was sacked last year over his links to Epstein, featured in documents released by the US Department of Justice on Friday.
In a letter to Labour general secretary Hollie Ridley, Mandelson said he regretted being linked to the “understandable furore” surrounding Epstein. 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.”
The documents appear to show three separate payments of $25,000 from Epstein’s JP Morgan accounts to Mandelson, totalling $75,000. Mandelson said he had “no record and no recollection of receiving these sums” and questioned the documents’ authenticity. He reiterated his apology to the victims of Epstein, saying he was “wrong to believe Epstein and continue his association with him”.
Housing minister Steve Reed said Mandelson had “a moral obligation” to share what he knew with US authorities, adding that anyone with information, including Prince Andrew, should come forward. The Conservatives called for an independent investigation into Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador, accusing Prime Minister Keir Starmer of lacking “backbone” to take action.
Mandelson has been on leave of absence from the House of Lords since his ambassadorial role and does not currently hold the Labour whip. Pressure had been mounting on Starmer to block his return as a Labour peer after emails from 2009 showed Mandelson telling Epstein he was “trying hard” to change government policy on bankers’ bonuses at Epstein’s request.
