Explosive court documents have revealed previously hidden connections between former Labour minister Lord Peter Mandelson and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, throwing Westminster into fresh turmoil.
The newly unsealed files from a 2015 US civil case show direct communications between the prominent New Labour architect and the disgraced financier, including email exchanges and meeting invitations.
The Epstein Connection
According to the documents, Mandelson engaged in correspondence with Epstein after his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. The revelations show the former business secretary maintained contact despite Epstein's status as a registered sex offender.
One particularly damning email from Epstein to Mandelson reads: "You are always welcome to visit. I would be delighted to see you and to introduce you to a number of my friends who I think you would find interesting."
Timing and Context
The communications occurred during Mandelson's tenure as Business Secretary in Gordon Brown's government, raising serious questions about judgement and propriety at the highest levels of UK politics.
Mandelson's office has previously acknowledged a "limited relationship" with Epstein but maintained it was purely professional and focused on economic policy matters. These new documents, however, suggest a more familiar relationship than previously admitted.
Political Fallout
The revelations come at a sensitive time for the Labour Party, currently leading in polls ahead of an expected general election. Opposition parties have called for full transparency regarding the nature and extent of these connections.
Conservative MPs have demanded Mandelson provide a comprehensive statement addressing why he maintained contact with a convicted sex offender while serving in high public office.
The documents form part of the ongoing release of materials related to Epstein's associates, which has already implicated numerous high-profile figures in politics, business, and royalty on both sides of the Atlantic.
