Peter Mandelson has resigned from the House of Lords after leaked emails revealed he shared confidential government communications with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The correspondence, sent while Mandelson was business secretary under Gordon Brown, included sensitive briefings on the 2008 financial crisis and potential asset sales.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was 'appalled' by the leaks and has referred the matter to the police. Starmer told the cabinet on Tuesday that he had instructed officials to draft legislation to strip Mandelson of his peerage, calling it 'ridiculous' that a title can only be removed by an act of parliament.
Mandelson’s departure was announced by the Lords speaker, effective Wednesday, though he retains his title. A Downing Street spokesperson said the prime minister believed Mandelson 'let his country down' and that the House of Lords needs faster mechanisms to remove peers for misconduct.
The cabinet secretary is investigating the emails, which included early confirmation of a €500bn European bailout and a confidential document outlining £20bn in asset sales. The Metropolitan Police have received the documents and are considering a wider inquiry.
Documents released by the US Department of Justice also show Epstein paid $75,000 into accounts linked to Mandelson and sent £10,000 to Mandelson’s partner, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, in 2009. Health Secretary Wes Streeting described the association as a 'betrayal on so many levels'.
