Prime Minister Keir Starmer has demanded that Peter Mandelson resign from the House of Lords and called for modernisation of disciplinary procedures to allow peers to be stripped of their titles. The demand follows the release of US Department of Justice documents showing Mandelson, as business secretary in 2009, shared confidential UK tax plans with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The documents, released on Friday, appear to show Mandelson forwarding a confidential government document outlining £20bn in asset sales and Labour's tax policy plans to Epstein. In a separate email exchange, Epstein asked Mandelson to change government policy on bankers' bonuses, to which Mandelson replied: 'Trying hard to amend as I explained to Jes last night. Treasury digging in but I am on case.'
Downing Street said Mandelson should testify before the US Congress inquiry into the Epstein files if called. Mandelson was sacked last year as UK ambassador to Washington after details of his relationship with Epstein emerged, and he resigned his Labour party membership on Sunday night, saying he wanted to avoid causing 'further embarrassment'.
Starmer's official spokesperson said: 'The prime minister believes that Peter Mandelson should not be a member of the House of Lords or use the title. However, the prime minister does not have the power to remove it. He is calling on those in the Lords to work with the government to modernise disciplinary procedures in the house, to allow for the easier removal of lords who have brought the house into disrepute.'
Government insiders hope Mandelson will stand down voluntarily, but are prepared to change the disciplinary process regardless. The Lords conduct committee may be asked to consider recommendations on how peerages could be removed more easily. Labour promised in its manifesto to make it easier to remove rogue peers but has taken no steps so far; removing a specific peer would require primary legislation, with no precedent since the First World War.
