Lord Peter Mandelson has announced his resignation from the Labour Party to avoid causing further embarrassment due to his connections with Jeffrey Epstein. Mandelson, who was dismissed as US ambassador last year because of his past ties to Epstein, stated that he had submitted his resignation to the party’s general secretary, Hollie Ridley.
The decision follows the recent release of Epstein files indicating that he made payments totaling $75,000 (£55,000) to Mandelson in 2003 and 2004 while Mandelson was a Labour MP. In his resignation letter, Mandelson expressed regret and emphasized the need to address false allegations of financial payments made to him by Epstein two decades ago, which he claims to have no record or memory of.
Mandelson stressed his commitment to the Labour Party but decided to step down from membership to prevent further embarrassment to the party. The release of emails from the US Department of Justice revealed a payment of $25,000 to Reinaldo Avila da Silva, Mandelson’s husband, in 2003, along with two additional payments to accounts in Mandelson’s name in 2004.
Although Mandelson stated he does not recall receiving these payments and questioned the authenticity of the documents, he expressed regret for his association with Epstein. Images of Mandelson with Epstein have surfaced, but being featured in the Epstein files does not imply any wrongdoing.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch urged Keir Starmer to suspend Mandelson’s Labour Party membership and launch an investigation into the payments from Epstein. Communities Secretary Steve Reed called for clarity on Mandelson’s disclosure regarding his connections with Epstein and emphasized the need for Mandelson to address questions about his past.
Regarding the potential stripping of Mandelson’s peerage due to his association with Epstein, Reed emphasized the importance of understanding the full details before taking any action. A Labour Party spokesperson stated that all complaints are taken seriously and investigated according to party rules and procedures.