Labour grandee and former Cabinet minister Lord Mandelson faces mounting scrutiny after failing to declare multiple flights aboard convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein's private jet, the Daily Mail can reveal.
The revelations strike at the heart of Westminster's transparency protocols, exposing significant gaps in the declaration system for members of the House of Lords.
Undisclosed Luxury Travel
Despite clear rules requiring peers to declare all hospitality worth over £140, Mandelson omitted at least two journeys on Epstein's Boeing 727 between 2005 and 2006. The aircraft, nicknamed the 'Lolita Express' by US media, became infamous for transporting the disgraced financier and his associates.
Flight logs and eyewitness accounts confirm Mandelson's presence aboard during trips between Miami and New York, with one journey occurring mere months after Epstein's initial arrest for sex crimes.
A Pattern of Omission
Mandelson's failure to register these flights appears part of a broader pattern of non-disclosure. The former Business Secretary also neglected to declare:
- A stay at Epstein's luxurious Manhattan townhouse
- Multiple meetings with the convicted sex offender
- Hospitality received during these encounters
When confronted, Mandelson's office provided contradictory statements, initially denying knowledge of the flights before acknowledging they 'may have occurred'.
Systemic Failure in Oversight
The case highlights alarming deficiencies in the House of Lords' compliance mechanisms. Unlike MPs, peers face no independent verification of their declarations and operate under an honour system with minimal enforcement.
Current rules allow members up to three months to register interests, creating ample opportunity for oversight—whether deliberate or accidental—to go undetected.
Political Fallout
The revelations have sparked outrage across the political spectrum. Transparency campaigners and opposition MPs are demanding:
- Full disclosure of all encounters with Epstein
- An investigation into Mandelson's register of interests
- Reform of the Lords' declaration system
- Clarification regarding the nature of their relationship
This development comes amidst ongoing scrutiny of British establishment figures' connections to Epstein, following Prince Andrew's settlement in a US civil case earlier this year.
Mandelson maintains that their discussions focused solely on 'economic policy and philanthropy', though the failure to declare hospitality continues to raise troubling questions about judgement and accountability at the highest levels of British politics.
