Epstein Document Release Triggers Mandelson Labour Resignation
London: Former British ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, has resigned from the Labour Party following the release of US documents renewing scrutiny over his ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Mandelson, 72, who was removed from his ambassadorial post last year over Epstein-related connections, allegedly received multiple payments from Epstein in the early 2000s, according to documents released Friday by the US Department of Justice. Reports of these payments appeared in British media on Sunday.
In a letter to Labour Party general secretary Hollie Ridley, Mandelson said the allegations, which he denied, “need investigating by me.” He added: “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.” He expressed regret over the situation.
Bank records released by US authorities suggest Epstein transferred a total of $75,000 (approximately £55,000) in three payments to accounts linked to Mandelson between 2003 and 2004. Speaking to the BBC on Sunday, Mandelson said he had no memory of the transfers and could not verify the authenticity of the documents.
Newly released undated photographs also show Mandelson in a T-shirt and underwear alongside a woman whose face has been redacted. Mandelson said he “cannot place the location or the woman and I cannot think what the circumstances were.”
Other documents indicate that in 2009, Epstein sent £10,000 to Mandelson’s partner, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, during a period when Mandelson was serving as a government minister.
Mandelson was removed from his ambassadorial role in September 2025, after being appointed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer in late 2024. He had previously apologized in January for maintaining his friendship with Epstein.
The newly released files also mention former Prince Andrew, stripped of his royal titles last year over his links to Epstein. Separately, a woman claimed Epstein sent her to Britain in 2010 for a sexual encounter with Andrew, her lawyer told the BBC on Sunday.
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