According to Downing Street, Prime Minister, Keir Starmer has ordered an “urgent” investigation into Peter Mandelson’s contact with Jeffrey Epstein while the peer was a government Minister.
It said that Starmer believes Peter Mandelson “should not be a member of the House of Lords” and has asked the Cabinet Secretary to “urgently” review all available information on contact between the former Minister and Jeffrey Epstein.
Mandelson’s name appears among the millions of documents released on Friday relating to Epstein, the largest number shared by the US government since a law mandated their release last year.
Emails released in the Epstein files suggest that Lord Mandelson forwarded internal government information to Jeffrey Epstein when he was Gordon Brown’s Business Secretary in 2009.
Some documents suggest Epstein made payments to him between 2003 and 2004 that totalled $75,000 (now, £55,000). Mandelson says he has no record or recollection of receiving the sums and does not know whether the documents were authentic.
Downing Street disclosed that the review will be carried out by the Cabinet Secretary and will look at “all available information,” but added that the Prime Minister did not have the power to directly remove Mandelson’s title.
“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.
“The Prime Minister has asked the Cabinet Secretary to review all available information regarding Peter Mandelson’s contacts with Jeffrey Epstein during his period as a government minister and to report back to him.”
Downing Street
Starmer’s Spokesperson added that if Mandelson has information then he should be prepared to testify in front of US Congress. “The Prime Minister has always said that anyone who has got information should be prepared to share that information,” the Downing Street Spokesman said, adding, “You cannot be victim centred if you are not prepared to do that.”
Government officials believe stripping Lord Mandelson of his title through introducing legislation would be complicated and lengthy.
There has not been a precedent for using a bill to remove peerages for more than a 100 years. Instead the Prime Minister believes a quicker and simpler route would be for the House of Lords to work with the government to reform its disciplinary processes. One route could be via the Lords’ Conduct Committee with a speedy resolution being seen as a priority.
Mandelson Resigns From Labour Party
Meanwhile, Mandelson resigned from the Labour Party on Sunday night, saying he wanted to save the party “further embarrassment” over his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In his resignation letter, sent to the General Secretary of the Labour Party, Hollie Ridley, Mandelson said, “I have been further linked this weekend to the understandable furore surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and I feel regretful and sorry about this.”
“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.”
“While doing this, I do not wish to cause further embarrassment to the Labour Party and I am therefore stepping down from membership of the party. I want to take this opportunity to repeat my apology to the women and girls whose voices should have been heard long before now.”
Peter Mandelson
He added that he has dedicated his life to the values and success of the Labour Party and “in taking my decision, I believe I am acting in its best interests.”
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