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Peter Mandelson, the former British ambassador to the United States, has stepped down from his membership in Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party following recent reports linking him to disgraced American financier Jeffrey Epstein, according to media outlets on Sunday.
Last year, Mandelson was dismissed by Starmer from his role as Britain’s envoy to the U.S. after previous disclosures about his connections to Epstein. He expressed a desire not to bring further embarrassment to the Labour Party, citing new media reports that suggested his ties to Epstein.
In a letter to the Labour Party, Mandelson stated, “I’ve been further linked this weekend to the understandable controversy surrounding Jeffrey Epstein, and I am remorseful and sorry about this.” He also maintained that claims of financial payments from Epstein, based on files released by the U.S. Department of Justice and covered by British media, were false, and that he planned to investigate these allegations.
He added, “While I conduct this investigation, I do not wish to cause additional embarrassment to the Labour Party. Therefore, I am resigning from the party.”
Mandelson, a key figure in Labour’s electoral victories during Tony Blair’s prime ministership in the 1990s, has faced scrutiny before. Last year, U.S. lawmakers released documents that included a letter in which Mandelson referred to Epstein as “my best pal,” prompting his removal from his diplomatic post in Washington.
His earlier political career was marked by turbulence. In 1998, he resigned as trade minister over questions regarding a loan he took from a fellow minister to purchase a house, raising conflict of interest concerns. He also resigned from the cabinet in 2001 amid allegations involving a passport scandal related to an Indian billionaire but was later cleared of misconduct.
Mandelson, who previously served as a European Union trade commissioner, is currently on leave from the House of Lords.
In related news, Prime Minister Starmer remarked on Saturday that former Prince Andrew should testify before a U.S. congressional committee, amid new revelations about his connections to Epstein.
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