Cabinet Minister Condemns Mandelson as 'Liar' Following Arrest Over Epstein Links
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has publicly denounced Lord Peter Mandelson as a liar following his dramatic arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The senior Cabinet minister defended Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's controversial decision to appoint Mandelson as US ambassador, insisting the peer was dismissed immediately when the full extent of his deception became clear.
Minister Defends PM's Handling of Scandal
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Phillipson revealed that Mandelson had "lied repeatedly" about his ongoing relationship with convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein during the vetting process for the diplomatic position. The former Labour minister stands accused of passing sensitive information to Epstein during his tenure as business secretary, allegations that have triggered a major police investigation.
"The prime minister sacked Peter Mandelson as soon as it became clear the full extent of what had been going on," Phillipson stated emphatically. "He misled the prime minister, he misled people as part of that vetting process and he lied about the extent of engagement he continued to have with Jeffrey Epstein."
Document Release Proceeds Despite Investigation
In a significant development, Phillipson confirmed that the government still intends to release documents concerning Mandelson's appointment in early March, despite the ongoing police investigation. The announcement was made in the House of Commons on Monday, just hours before Mandelson was arrested at his London home.
The education secretary told Sky News: "My understanding is yes, but we do just need to be mindful of any documents we publish given the nature of the ongoing police investigation. So, we want to be transparent, we do want to push ahead with publishing documents, but we just need to make sure that nothing that's published could compromise or call into question an ongoing police investigation."
Mounting Political Pressure
The scandal has placed Sir Keir Starmer under considerable political pressure, with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar joining opposition calls for the prime minister to resign over the appointment. Starmer has admitted knowing about Mandelson's friendship with Epstein but claims the peer deceived him about its nature and extent.
Phillipson addressed criticism of the prime minister's leadership directly, stating: "There are limits to what we can discuss given the ongoing nature of the police investigation." She added: "I think it's also worth saying that the only people responsible for what took place, the appalling abuse that young women experienced are those responsible for perpetrating those acts."
Parallel Investigation into Royal Figure
In a related development, the Liberal Democrats will use a parliamentary debate to compel ministers to release documents about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's appointment as trade envoy. The former prince, who served between 2001 and 2011, faces similar accusations of sharing sensitive information with Epstein and was arrested last week on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
Phillipson declined to reveal whether the government would support the Lib Dem motion, stating: "We'll review what they are asking for and will set our approach later on in Parliament." The debate is scheduled for after midday in the Commons, adding another layer of complexity to an already volatile political situation.
The Mandelson scandal represents one of the most serious crises of Sir Keir Starmer's premiership, testing his judgment and transparency commitments while raising fundamental questions about vetting procedures for high-level appointments. With documents set for release and police investigations ongoing, the political fallout continues to unfold.
