Prime Minister Received Explicit Warning Over Mandelson's Epstein Links
Official government documents released this week have revealed that Sir Keir Starmer was explicitly warned about the "general reputational risk" associated with Lord Peter Mandelson's relationship with convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein before appointing him as ambassador to the United States. The first batch of files relating to the controversial appointment shows that Cabinet Office officials raised serious concerns during the due diligence process in December 2024.
Due Diligence Document Highlighted Continuing Relationship
The Cabinet Office's due diligence document noted multiple reports detailing Mandelson's connections with Epstein, who was first convicted in 2008 for procuring an underage girl. The report specifically highlighted that "their relationship continued across 2009-2011, beginning when Lord Mandelson was business minister and continuing after the end of the Labour government." It further noted that "Mandelson reportedly stayed in Epstein's house while he was in jail in June 2009."
The document also revealed that in 2014, Mandelson agreed to be a "founding citizen" of an ocean conservation group founded by Ghislaine Maxwell and funded by Epstein. Maxwell, Epstein's former girlfriend, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in the United States in 2022 for sex trafficking offences. The due diligence report concluded this section with the stark warning: "To note – general reputational risk."
Senior Officials Expressed Serious Reservations
The released files show that senior government officials had significant concerns about the appointment from the outset. National security adviser Jonathan Powell described the process for giving Mandelson the Washington role as "weirdly rushed" and raised concerns about "the individual and reputation" with Sir Keir Starmer's then-chief of staff Morgan McSweeney.
According to a call record from September 2025, McSweeney responded that "the issues had been addressed." Sir Philip Barton, the then-Foreign Office permanent under-secretary, "also had reservations around the appointment," according to the same documents. An official note to the Prime Minister warned specifically about the risks of making a political appointment rather than selecting a career diplomat: "If anything goes wrong, you could be more exposed as the individual is more connected to you personally."
Political Appointment Driven by Trump Relationship Needs
The decision to appoint Mandelson, a former EU trade commissioner and UK business secretary, was reportedly driven by the perceived need to forge a close relationship with US President Donald Trump, who returned to the White House in January 2025. However, this political calculation appears to have overridden the significant concerns raised by officials about Mandelson's associations.
After further details of Mandelson's relationship with Epstein emerged, he was sacked from the ambassador role in September 2025, just nine months into his appointment. The files reveal he was awarded a £75,000 taxpayer-funded payout upon dismissal. Documents show he initially requested the remainder of his four-year contract be paid in full, totalling more than £500,000.
Ongoing Police Investigation and Parliamentary Scrutiny
The 31 files released by the Government did not include correspondence between Number 10 and Lord Mandelson, in which follow-up questions were asked about his relationship with Epstein. MPs were informed these exchanges remain subject to the Metropolitan Police's ongoing investigation into Mandelson over allegations of misconduct in public office.
Lord Mandelson was arrested on February 23 on suspicion of misconduct in public office, accused of passing sensitive information to Epstein during his time as business secretary in Gordon Brown's government. He was subsequently bailed and later released from bail conditions, though he remains under investigation.
Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones told MPs that the advice received by Starmer ahead of Mandelson's appointment "did not expose the depth and extent" of his relationship with Epstein. Jones stated: "After the Prime Minister reviewed the Cabinet Office due diligence, that noted public reporting on Peter Mandelson's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, questions were put to Peter Mandelson by advisers in No 10... and Peter Mandelson responded."
Political Fallout and Criticism
Shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Alex Burghart responded to the document release by stating: "These documents just confirm what we already knew. Keir Starmer was plainly aware of the relationship between Mandelson and the world's most notorious paedophile when he appointed him as US ambassador. What's worse, the Government gave him a payoff of £75,000 despite his resignation in disgrace. No one will be able to trust the Prime Minister's judgment again."
The Prime Minister has insisted that Lord Mandelson "lied repeatedly" to Number 10 about his relationship with Epstein, both before and during his tenure as ambassador. The Government has agreed a framework with the Metropolitan Police regarding which documents can be released without prejudicing the ongoing investigation into the former ambassador.
Some files touching on national security or foreign relations matters will be redacted, with the final decision resting with Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee. Only one of the documents released on Wednesday was redacted in agreement with the committee.
