Prime Minister Calls for Mandelson's Removal from Lords Over Epstein Connections
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has declared that Lord Peter Mandelson should no longer sit in Parliament following further revelations about the peer's connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Downing Street confirmed the Prime Minister's position, stating Sir Keir believes the former business secretary and ambassador to the United States "should not be a member of the House of Lords or use the title."
Constitutional Limitations on Removing Peerages
However, the Prime Minister's official spokesman acknowledged that Sir Keir does not possess the power to strip Lord Mandelson of his peerage under current constitutional arrangements. This limitation highlights significant gaps in parliamentary disciplinary procedures that the government now seeks to address through urgent reform.
The country's top civil servant, Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald, has been tasked with conducting an urgent review of all available information regarding Lord Mandelson's contacts with Jeffrey Epstein during his tenure as a government minister. This investigation was prompted by what Downing Street described as "the totality of the new information over the weekend" following the release of the latest Epstein documents by the US Department of Justice.
Revelations from Released Email Exchanges
Newly disclosed email exchanges from 2009 reveal concerning interactions between Lord Mandelson and Epstein during the aftermath of the global financial crisis. As business secretary, Lord Mandelson appeared to tell Epstein he would lobby ministers regarding a proposed tax on bankers' bonuses, stating in one email: "Treasury digging in but I am on case."
The correspondence further indicates that:
- Internal government discussions were passed to Epstein, including an analysis of business lending prepared by government minister Baroness Vadera
- Lord Mandelson forwarded Epstein an assessment of business confidence and potential policy measures that had been sent to then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown
- Email discussions suggest Lord Mandelson encouraged JP Morgan's chief executive Jamie Dimon to call then-Chancellor Alistair Darling and "mildly threaten" him regarding the bonus tax
Financial Transactions and Resignation
Bank statements from 2003 and 2004 appear to show Lord Mandelson received payments totalling approximately £54,735 from Epstein. Additionally, Epstein reportedly paid for an osteopathy course for Lord Mandelson's husband.
Lord Mandelson resigned his Labour Party membership late on Sunday night, with the party confirming that disciplinary action was already underway prior to his resignation. In his resignation letter, Lord Mandelson stated: "Allegations which I believe to be false that he made financial payments to me 20 years ago, and of which I have no record or recollection, need investigating by me."
Calls for Modernisation of Lords Disciplinary Procedures
Sir Keir has urged the House of Lords to collaborate with the government to modernise disciplinary procedures, making it easier to remove disgraced peers. Under current arrangements, removing a peerage would require new legislation—something that last occurred over a century ago to address members of the nobility who sided with Germany during the First World War.
The Prime Minister's spokesman emphasised: "Clearly, we are looking at Lords reform in the round and that includes strengthening the circumstances in which disgraced peers can be removed."
Political Reactions and Calls for Police Investigation
Liberal Democrats leader Sir Ed Davey has called for a police investigation into Lord Mandelson, stating: "The Epstein files suggest Peter Mandelson leaked sensitive government information to a convicted sex offender while serving as a minister, and even suggested a US bank should threaten the government to lower its tax bill. These allegations are incredibly serious."
A Labour Party spokesman commented: "It is right that Peter Mandelson is no longer a member of the Labour Party. Jeffrey Epstein's heinous crimes destroyed the lives of so many women and girls, and our thoughts remain with his victims."
Lord Mandelson, who is currently on a leave of absence from the House of Lords, could potentially resign voluntarily. Alternatively, the Lords Conduct Committee might examine his case as another possible route for addressing the situation.
