Peter Mandelson's persistent efforts to re-enter the Labour Party's inner circle ahead of the 2024 general election have sparked debate among insiders, with some welcoming his experience and others wary of his influence. According to a former Labour official, Mandelson was a constant presence in the leader of the opposition's office, offering advice and engaging with individuals on key issues. However, Sue Gray, then Keir Starmer's chief of staff, reportedly sought to keep him at arm's length, viewing his overtures as 'pestering for a role'.
The controversy escalated this week when Starmer apologised for believing Mandelson's 'lies' about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following the release of emails suggesting Mandelson shared market-sensitive documents with Epstein during the financial crisis. During the vetting process for Mandelson's appointment as UK ambassador to Washington, he allegedly portrayed Epstein as someone he 'barely knew', contradicting evidence that he had stayed at Epstein's home after his conviction.
Labour MPs have questioned how Starmer could have approved Mandelson's ambassadorial appointment given his history of resignations from cabinet over proximity to wealth and power, and his known association with Epstein. Insiders also wonder why Mandelson was brought back into the party fold at all, given that he had no role under previous leaders Jeremy Corbyn or Ed Miliband, with Miliband once remarking, 'All of us believe in dignity in retirement'.
The relationship between Mandelson and Starmer's chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, is seen as key. Introduced by peer Roger Liddle, the pair have contrasting politics: Mandelson is a pro-European globalist, while McSweeney advocates for stricter immigration controls and a rejection of New Labour's internationalism. One former minister described the alliance as 'the architect of globalisation mentoring the man whose politics begins by rejecting that entire approach'.
Labour insiders suggest that Mandelson's return was enabled by a desperation within Starmer's team to win the election, despite not knowing how to achieve it. Simon Fletcher, a former senior adviser to Starmer, recalled reading in 2021 that Starmer was taking advice from Mandelson, and when he questioned the leadership team, he received no reply. This episode underscores the tensions within the party over Mandelson's influence and Starmer's judgment.
