Nederlands
English
Deutsch
Français
Español
Português
British Political Veteran Forced Out Over Epstein Ties
Peter Mandelson, the veteran British politician and former Labour Party strategist, has resigned from the House of Lords following explosive revelations about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The 72-year-old peer, nicknamed the 'Prince of Darkness' for his media-savvy political tactics, informed parliamentary authorities of his intention to retire just hours after Downing Street announced plans to draft legislation to strip him of his peerage.
Damning Documents Reveal Financial Ties
Newly released U.S. Department of Justice documents show Mandelson received payments totaling $75,000 from Epstein in 2003-2004, with Epstein sending an additional $10,000 to Mandelson's partner in 2010. The documents also reveal Mandelson maintained a warm friendship with the financier, calling him 'my best pal' in 2003 emails. Most damagingly, the files appear to show Mandelson sharing potentially market-sensitive government information with Epstein during the 2008 financial crisis, including details about a €500 billion euro bailout hours before it was publicly announced.
Police Investigation and Political Fallout
The UK's Metropolitan Police is reviewing allegations of 'misconduct in a public office' following a referral from the Cabinet Office. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose government Mandelson served as ambassador to Washington until his dismissal last year, stated that Mandelson 'let his country down' and regards it as 'ridiculous' that peerages cannot be removed except through primary legislation.
Mandelson had already resigned his Labour Party membership on Sunday as pressure mounted. The former Business Secretary and European Trade Commissioner, who played a key role in rebranding Labour as 'New Labour' under Tony Blair, now faces the most serious scandal of his long and controversial career.
Epstein's Shadow Over British Politics
This development marks another chapter in the ongoing Epstein saga that continues to implicate powerful figures globally. The documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice in January 2026 contain millions of pages of evidence from the investigation into Epstein's sex trafficking network. Mandelson becomes the latest high-profile British figure connected to Epstein, following Prince Andrew's removal from royal duties in 2022.
According to parliamentary rules, while life peers can resign from the House of Lords under the House of Lords Reform Act 2014, removing a peerage itself requires an Act of Parliament - a process Starmer's government has now initiated.
Mandelson has denied wrongdoing and questioned the authenticity of some documents, but apologized to Epstein's victims, claiming he was 'taken in by a charismatic criminal liar.' His departure from the Lords represents a dramatic fall for one of Britain's most influential political operators of the past three decades.
